Kylian Mbappé scored twice as France beat Iraq 3-0, lifting his World Cup career total to 16 goals and moving him into a tie for second on the tournament’s all-time list.
The Real Madrid forward scored in the 14th minute in his 100th international game, then added another in the 54th after a weather delay stretched halftime beyond two hours. France advanced to the knockout stage with the win.
Mbappé is now level with Miroslav Klose, the Germany striker who held the record before Lionel Messi pushed the mark to 18. Messi scored twice for Argentina earlier, after previously matching Klose with his first World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri.
“If I want to keep up with what Leo is doing,” Mbappé said, “I’ll have to do even more.”
His first goal came on a left-footed shot from about 20 yards past Ahmed Basil, who made his first start of the tournament after captain Jalal Hassan conceded all four goals in Iraq’s 4-1 loss to Norway.
Mbappé’s second came after Zaid Tahseen played a poor pass toward the goalkeeper. France Ousmane Dembele gathered the loose ball and set up Mbappé for a right-footed finish.
Ousmane Dembélé also scored in the second half for France. Mbappé had a late chance for a hat trick on a breakaway but missed before being substituted at the 90-minute mark.
“He's here to score goals and that’s something he’s been doing,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “He’s somebody that has a worldwide aura.”
Deschamps also defended his captain’s all-around role. “I've seen enough criticism on his egotistical side,” he said. “But that’s not who he is. I reiterate, he’s the team captain. And he’s a bright example for the rest of the group.”
Mbappé, 27, helped France win the World Cup in 2018 and reach the 2022 final, where Les Bleus lost to Argentina on penalty kicks. He won the Golden Boot in 2022 with eight goals and was awarded the Silver Ball as the tournament’s second-best player.
His World Cup goals now include four this year, eight in 2022 and four in 2018. France, which also won the tournament in 1998, entered this World Cup as a co-favorite with Spain, with Mbappé joined in attack by Désiré Doué and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé.