PHILADELPHIA --Monday will be a landmark moment for France forward Kylian Mbappe as he's set to earn his 100th cap for the national team when they face Iraq. Mbappe has already become the all-time leading scorer for the Les Bleus by opening the World Cup with a brace against Senegal, netting his 58th goal for the national team and also securing his 14th World Cup goal, which is the most in the national team's history and only three behind Lionel Messi, who set the record earlier on Monday, passing Miroslav Klose.
Playing soccer after Messi on Monday, who already scored a hat trick to open World Cup play, Mbappe could be on the verge of surpassing the record with a superstar performance. Although these aren't where the top priorities are for the Real Madrid man as he wants to lead France to their third straight World Cup final and to win the tournament for the second time since 2018, the chance is there to keep their contender status and make a run at the trophy.
"The group is the continuity of what we started to build throughout Didier Deschamps' tenure over the last 14 years; you can see the evolution, his personal touch, and the arrival of young talent," Mbappe said. "We know that it's going to leave a long path. [Monday] we're going to have a complicated match to play, but we're on the right path to what we want to achieve, and we don't want to look too far ahead. It's unpredictable when you play a World Cup."
This has been the World Cup of upsets with Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Curacao, and Qatar all shocking teams, so France will need a professional approach in order to ensure that they aren't a side caught in the upsets of the tournament.
Iraq's manager Graham Arnold is familiar with the danger that Mbappe poses, having managed against him in the 2022 World Cup when he was in charge of Australia. Mbappe only netted one goal during that match, but Arnold did offer a unique way to try and stop Mbappe, although it may not be one that's allowed by FIFA in a match.
"I asked if we could play three goalkeepers, but, uh, they said no. Look, they've got some incredible players, and it's an honor. It's an honor, and we will go out, and we're focused on ourselves," Arnold said. "And when I say that, it's our own performance. We can't control France's performance, but we can control our own. And it's making sure that the players are completely ready to go out there and show the world what they're about."
Even three keepers may not be enough to stop France, considering the attacking talent that they have at their disposal. Ousmane Dembele has had to move into a different position with the national team than he plays for Paris Saint-Germain, where he's been taking up central positions in the attack, but with France, he has to adjust to being on the wing, but that's not something that Mbappe or Deschamps worries about.
"He was marred by injury for the entire season, but it's behind him. Ousmane has no issues whatsoever. During the season, he wasn't able to go to games back to back, but PSG dealt with injuries the way they dealt with them," Deschamps said. "Now he's here, and we want him to free himself."
Michael Olise is who will be the key to how far this team can go. After struggling in the first half against Senegal, they adjusted to play, though Olise, Ballon d'Or contender, was able to push France into a different gear, similarly to how he has done for Bayern Munich during the season. With this being a French side that isn't as strong defensively as in previous years, leaning into their attacking talent will be critical.
Les Bleus can qualify for the knockout stage of the World Cup with a victory, and if Norway fail to win against Senegal, they would also win the group, setting themselves up for a third-placed team in the round of 32 and a potential date with Germany in the round of 16. While it's still too early for projecting, it's a tough path for France, and they'll need to find their balance now, or disappointment could be coming down the road.
How to watch France vs. Iraq
Date: Monday, June 22 | Time: 5 p.m. ET Location: Lincoln Financial Field -- Philadelphia, Penn. TV: FOX (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free) Odds: France -1408; Draw +1100; Iraq +2800
France vs. Iraq prediction
Mbappe gets things going early for France as he scores his second consecutive brace in a resounding win. Score: France 4, Iraq 0
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