Mbappé scores twice as storm-delayed France beats Iraq
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- Kylian Mbappé scored once before and once after a two-hour-plus weather delay as France beat Iraq 3-0 at Lincoln Financial Field, with Ousmane Dembélé assisting the second and scoring France's third — his first World Cup goal.
- Mbappé reached 16 career World Cup goals, tying Miroslav Klose's all-time mark and moving past Brazil great Ronaldo (15), while recording his record sixth multigoal World Cup game; Lionel Messi leads with 18 after scoring twice against Austria earlier Monday.
- The match was the first weather delay of the tournament, triggered by a FIFA rule requiring play to be paused and seating areas evacuated for 30 minutes whenever lightning is detected within 8 miles — a clock that resets with each strike.
- Mbappé made his 100th international appearance for France and brushed off any rivalry with Messi, saying: "I don't watch what he does, otherwise I will have to do more. I only look at my team."
- France have six points from two group games (after a 3-1 win over Senegal) and are assured of a knockout-round spot, with their finale against Norway likely deciding who tops the group.
- Didier Deschamps played cards with players in the dressing room during the wait, saying he joked around and respected the safety rules, though he noted France have another game in four days.
Why it matters: France have clinched a knockout-round berth with six points, and Mbappé's 16 career World Cup goals put him two behind Messi's all-time lead of 18 with at least one more game guaranteed. The marathon delay also marked the tournament's first lightning stoppage, exposing how FIFA's strict 30-minute reset rule can balloon into a two-plus-hour pause when storms linger over a venue.
