Kylian Mbappe celebrated his 100th international appearance by netting twice to secure a 3-0 victory for France against Iraq on Monday in a match that faced a significant two-hour interruption due to severe weather conditions in Philadelphia.
The game began under clear skies at 5:00 pm local time (2100 GMT) at Lincoln Financial Field but was disrupted at halftime as a powerful storm swept through the city. Torrential rain forced officials to pause the match, prompting the majority of the 68,324 spectators—mostly seated in uncovered areas—to seek shelter in covered concourses for over two hours before play resumed.
Mbappe struck early, opening the scoring in the 14th minute. He then doubled his tally nine minutes into the second half, demonstrating why he is one of the tournament favorites. Complementing his efforts, last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele contributed France’s third goal, securing a comfortable win for the reigning champions.
Mbappe’s Milestone and World Cup Records
With these two goals, Mbappe has now amassed 16 World Cup goals in his career, just two shy of Lionel Messi, who set a new tournament record of 18 goals earlier the same day by scoring twice for Argentina against Austria.
This match marked the first instance of weather-related disruption at the World Cup, highlighting the strict safety protocols enforced in the United States that mandate suspending play when storms threaten player and spectator safety. The delay underscored the challenges of hosting a large-scale event in an open-air stadium where much of the seating lacks cover.
Despite the interruption, France maintained their composure and dominance on the field, reinforcing their status as strong contenders in the competition. Meanwhile, the crowd eventually returned to their seats to witness the final stages of the match under improved conditions, witnessing a commanding performance from the French squad.