Kylian Mbappé scored twice to move into a tie for second in career World Cup goals with 16, and France played through the tournament’s first rain delay to beat Iraq 3-0 on Monday and advance to the knockout stage.

Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé also scored for Les Bleus, giving fans who stuck out a rainy night in Philadelphia a reason to cut loose.

Mbappé scored in the 14th and 54th minutes to cap a momentous and soggy 100th international appearance for one of the best players in the world.

Mbappe’s first goal gave France a 1-0 lead at halftime, when heavy rain and an incoming thunderstorm prompted a delay of just over two hours and forced the grounds crew to squeegee water off the swampy Kentucky bluegrass at Lincoln Financial Field.

Scoreboard messages directed the crowd to take shelter in the stadium’s covered areas, warning that a severe storm was on the way. Sheets of rain continued to fall through halftime as fans wrapped themselves in ponchos and huddled in the concourse and under balconies.

Iraq coach Graham Arnold wrestled with a poncho for a few seconds before he pulled it over his head and returned to the covered dugout. French fans who stayed in their seats in the last few covered rows of the top of the stadium waved the country’s flag, and many splashed around the concourse to pass time.

Others fled for the exits — at the same stadium where last season’s opener for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles was delayed 65 minutes in the third quarter because of lightning — as the delay dragged on, giving overseas spectators a triple dose of American sports nuisances: rain delays, overpriced concessions and TV timeouts in the form of hydration breaks. There was no second-half hydration break in this game after the long, wet pause in the action.

Weather aside, this game — as so many do for France — belonged to Mbappé as he tries to keep pace on the career goals list with new record holder Lionel Messi.

Playing in his third World Cup, the 27-year-old Mbappé matched Miroslav Klose of Germany on the goals list and moved one ahead of Brazil great Ronaldo.

Messi scored twice for Argentina earlier Monday to set the tournament record at 18. He had equaled Klose with his first World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria last Tuesday night in Kansas City, Missouri.

Mbappé scored his third goal of the tournament with a left-footed strike — his supposed weaker foot — from the edge of the box that got past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, who got his first start in the tournament after captain Jalal Hassan allowed all four goals in Iraq’s 4-1 loss to Norway.

For his second goal, Mbappé took advantage of a poor pass to the goalkeeper by Iraq defender Zaid Tahseen. Dembele controlled the loose ball and passed to Mbappé, who tapped it in with his right foot.

Mbappé had a chance at the hat trick on a late breakaway, but missed before he was subbed out at the 90-minute mark.

Mbappé helped France win the World Cup in 2018 and reach the final in 2022, when he was awarded the Silver Ball as the second-best player. Joined up front by Désiré Doué and Dembélé, France entered this year’s tournament as a co-favorite with Spain.

France could return to Philadelphia to play Germany on July 4.

Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was subbed out with an apparent injury in the 26th minute of the first half and replaced by Ali Al-Hamadi. Hussein scored his 34th international goal in Iraq’s World Cup opener.

Iraq is playing in the World Cup for just the second time after debuting in 1986.

GN

In the World Cup, teams commonly travel from base camp to their venues a day in advance. But in this 2026 tournament, Iran’s case is different.

Team Melli – the name used for Iran’s national team – had not been granted permission to stay overnight in the United States after their matches in the United States.

However, the travel restriction has put a strain on players and staff, said Iran’s secretary-general, Hedayat Mombeini.

“We are the only team participating in the World Cup that is at the host cities for just 24 hours, and it is not fair.”

The Iranian squad has been throughout the tournament is training in Tijuana, Mexico.

But when they entered the United States, Mombeini said they faced repeated border checks and tedious immigration procedures.

“All these limitations on us have negative effects on our players physically and mentally.”

Iran’s captain, Mehdi Taremi, has given insight into the ordeal.

The journey from Tijuana to Los Angeles is generally short. 

But for the New Zealand match, Iran’s team had to suffer a five-hour ordeal due to travel restrictions.

Although the team had requested permission to stay overnight in California following the match to recover, the request was denied.

Again, a second request was made ahead of Iran’s face-off against Belgium on Sunday for arriving two day before the match. 

It was denied.

Now, the Iranian federation is planning to lodge an official complaint with FIFA.

Adding insult to injury, the U.S. has reportedly not issued visas to several members of the Iranian team’s support staff.

It is worth noting that a memorandum of understanding has been signed between Iran and the U.S.

The Int’l News

Spain finally got their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign up and running with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, and once again it was Lamine Yamal who stole the spotlight.

After being frustrated by Cabo Verde in a goalless draw in their opening match, Spain looked determined to make a statement from the first whistle. They were 3-0 up by half time and had the contest effectively wrapped up within 45 minutes.

Yamal opened the scoring and in doing so achieved something remarkable. The 18 year old became only the second player aged 18 or younger to score the opening goal in a FIFA World Cup match, with the only other player to do so being a 17 year old Pele for Brazil against Wales in 1958.

The Barcelona star’s goal also saw him move ahead of Lionel Messi in the list of the youngest goalscorers in World Cup history. Yamal, aged 18 years and 343 days, is now the eighth youngest scorer in tournament history, pushing Messi, who was 18 years and 357 days old when he scored his first World Cup goal, down to ninth. This was Lamine’s first ever World Cup goals as well.

Spain race into control

Spain were a completely different side from the one that struggled to break down Cabo Verde.

Yamal’s opener settled any nerves before Mikel Oyarzabal added two goals as Luis de la Fuente’s side tore through the Saudi defence. By the interval Spain already held a commanding 3-0 advantage and there was little doubt about the outcome.

Despite playing only the first half, Yamal had already done enough to leave his mark on the game.

Joining football royalty

The teenager now finds himself alongside some of the biggest names in World Cup history.

Youngest World Cup goalscorers:

Pelé – 17 years, 239 days
Manuel Rosas – 18 years, 93 days
Gavi – 18 years, 110 days
Ibrahim Mbaye – 18 years, 142 days
Michael Owen – 18 years, 190 days
Nicolae Kovacs – 18 years, 197 days
Dmitri Sychev – 18 years, 231 days
Lamine Yamal – 18 years, 343 days
Lionel Messi – 18 years, 357 days
Julian Green – 19 years, 25 days


At just 18, he has become the focal point of Spain’s attack and the player opponents fear most. Against Saudi Arabia he needed only 45 minutes to change the game, break another record and help Spain secure their first win of the tournament.

GN