A Rain‑Interrupted Spectacle
France opened their World Cup fixture against Iraq with a commanding performance, ultimately securing a 3‑0 victory after a lengthy interruption caused by a thunderstorm. The match, initially scheduled for an earlier kickoff, was halted for nearly two hours as lightning illuminated the stadium, pushing the game into a late‑night slot.
When play resumed, Kylian Mbappe struck first, opening the scoring for the French side. His second goal arrived almost three hours after the first, a testament to the stop‑start nature of the encounter, but the double‑strike lifted Mbappe to 16 career World Cup goals, leveling him with Germany’s historic record‑holder Miroslav Klose.
Ousmane Dembele added the third goal for France, sealing a comfortable margin. Earlier in the tournament, Lionel Messi had set a new World Cup scoring record, reaching 18 goals, underscoring the caliber of talent on display.
France manager Didier Deschamps praised his squad’s composure after the match, highlighting the team’s ability to adapt to the unexpected delay and maintain focus. ‘The boys handled the interruption professionally,’ Deschamps said, noting that the victory puts them in a strong position heading into their next fixture.
Looking ahead, France will meet Norway in a decisive Group I encounter where the top spot hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Iraq, still in contention for one of the eight third‑place slots, will look to bounce back from the loss.