Iraqi national team coach Graham Arnold expressed with good humor the challenge of facing Kylian Mbappé by saying that he would need three goalkeepers to contain him. The statement, made before Iraq’s clash with France in the second round of Group I of the 2026 World Cup, reflects the great concern about the French striker.
It is, in fact, an extremely complex task to find an effective strategy to neutralize a player like Kylian Mbappé, who constantly surpasses historical marks in football.
The French star arrives for the match against Iraq in excellent form, boosted by his outstanding performance in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal in the tournament’s debut. Even with just one game played in this edition of the World Cup, the 27-year-old striker has already accumulated a series of notable achievements.
The two goals he scored against Senegal brought Mbappé’s total in World Cups to 14, two in this tournament, eight in 2018 and four in 2022. With this feat, he surpassed Pelé on the list of top scorers in the history of the competition and equaled Gerd Müller’s record, reaching fourth place. Currently, Mbappé is just one goal behind Cristiano Ronaldo and two behind record holders Miroslav Klose and Lionel Messi. His age, 27 years old, makes these numbers even more impressive, signaling an even greater record-breaking potential in future editions.
In addition to approaching World Cup goal records, Mbappé also rewrote the history of French football. His two goals against Senegal were his 57th and 58th for the national team, allowing him to overtake Olivier Giroud to become the French team’s all-time top goalscorer.
These remarkable statistics become even more relevant when considering that Mbappé is just 27 years old and has a long, high-level career ahead of him. The Real Madrid striker is competing in his third World Cup, having won the title in 2018 and being a finalist in 2022.
The French team will have a golden opportunity to secure their place in the round of 16 if they beat Iraq in their second match in Group I of the 2026 World Cup, scheduled for 4 am on June 23.
Before the clash with Iraq, Mbappé was also preparing to reach another significant personal milestone: his 100th international appearance for the French national team.
“Defending the national team is always an immense honor. There is nothing greater than representing your country. Reaching 100 games is a historic milestone, especially when it happens in a World Cup”, commented Mbappé on the occasion.
If France advances significantly in this year’s tournament, Mbappé could surpass Didier Deschamps’ mark, who has 103 appearances for the national team. He also has the potential to break the record of 145 appearances for the national team, currently held by former goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Despite the growing debate surrounding his place in football history, the French striker himself is calm. With 14 goals already scored in World Cups and at least another decade of career at its peak, many experts and fans already point to him as a strong candidate to become the greatest player in the history of the tournament.
Mbappé, however, considers that this discussion is more for the fans and the press. “It’s a topic for everyone to debate. I believe that discussing the players is positive. But for me, the main focus is how I can help the team in the match against Iraq and whether we can bring the trophy home in July,” said the player.
While Mbappé continues to attract the spotlight with his historic exploits, the French team maintains its position as one of the main favorites for the 2026 World Cup title. The squad led by Didier Deschamps has a very high quality attack, with names such as Mbappé, Désiré Doué and the current Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembélé.
France lifted the World Cup trophy in 1998 and 2018, before finishing runners-up in 2022, losing the final to Argentina. This consistent performance over the years has established Les Bleus as one of the most imposing forces in world football.
For Iraq, the immediate mission is crucial: finding ways to limit the influence of Mbappé and his teammates. Coach Graham Arnold revealed that he has not yet named his starting goalkeeper after the 4-1 defeat to Norway in the opening match.
However, the Australian coach emphasized that his team is not overly concerned about the opponent, but rather about improving its own performance. “We cannot control the performance of the French team, but we have control over ours. We are ensuring that our players are as prepared as possible to take the field and show the world their value”, concluded Arnold.