Kylian Mbappé delivered a game-winning performance, scoring one goal and setting up another, as France defeated Iceland 2-1 in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match. The victory, which came after France played with 10 men for the last 20 minutes, keeps Didier Deschamps’s side at the top of Group D with a perfect six points from two games. The result leaves them three points clear of Iceland.
Iceland took the lead in the 17th minute when Andri Lucas Gudjohnsen pounced on a mistake from Michael Olise. France responded with a series of attacks, and just before halftime, Marcus Thuram was tripped in the penalty area. Mbappé stepped up and buried the resulting penalty to level the score at the break. After halftime, Mbappé led a swift counterattack and squared for Bradley Barcola to tap home in the 62nd minute, which ultimately proved to be the winning goal.
The drama continued in the second half. France was forced to play with 10 men after Aurelien Tchouameni was sent off for a reckless challenge. Iceland thought they had a late equalizer when Gudjohnsen bundled the ball over the line with two minutes remaining, but the goal was canceled out by VAR after replays showed he had pulled Ibrahima Konate’s shirt.
Mbappé's penalty goal was a historic one for French football. It was his 52nd goal for the national team, a milestone that puts him ahead of Thierry Henry (51 goals) to become the second-highest scorer in the country’s history. Mbappé, who is now only five goals shy of Olivier Giroud's all-time record, reflected on the achievement with humility. “It’s cool, I’m very happy. Passing Titi, who is a living legend, is fantastic. But there’s still one more person to surpass, so there’s more work to do.”
Coach Deschamps praised his captain's performance and leadership. "He puts in a lot of effort, offers solutions and is effective. He’s a very good leader for the whole group," Deschamps said. The team will now look to maintain its perfect record in its upcoming matches against Azerbaijan and Iceland in October.
