France coach Didier Deschamps believes Kylian Mbappe is on track to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after the forward equaled Miroslav Klose’s tally of 16 goals in France’s 3-0 win over Iraq on Monday.
Mbappe struck twice to take his tournament total to four, equaling the former Germany striker’s World Cup record. Only Lionel Messi is now ahead with 18 goals, after the Argentina captain scored twice against Austria earlier on Monday.
“Records are there to be broken,” Deschamps said after the match. «He has played a hundred international matches, has always scored goals and will score even more.
«Take Messi, take Cristiano Ronaldo. I’m not sure Kylian will play up to their age, but as long as he is on the pitch and feeling good, he will keep scoring. Every time he breaks one record, he has the ability to raise the bar again.»
Mbappe’s brace came in unusual circumstances, with the second half delayed for almost an hour and a half due to severe weather.
Asked how France spent the unexpected break, Deschamps joked: “We played cards.”
He added: «We were just waiting as the restart kept getting postponed. The most important thing was another 20-minute warm-up so that neither team took any unnecessary risks. The heavy rain made the pitch difficult. It was the first time I had experienced something like that, and the same goes for my players.»
Despite the disruption, Deschamps felt the organizers had little choice.
«It was frustrating, but it was about safety. You can’t fight against rain and lightning. We stuck together, joked and waited. These were very unusual circumstances and I hope this won’t happen again.»
Deschamps also welcomed Ousmane Dembélé’s first goal of the tournament, backing the Ballon d’Or winner to play a decisive role as France progress.
“As long as Ousmane is physically fit, it’s just about refining,” he said. «I trust him completely. He is not someone who doubts himself, and what he did today is important because he is a decisive player.»
Published on June 23, 2026
