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NEW YORK, June 22 : France forward Ousmane Dembele finally found his groove in the 3-0 win over Iraq at the World Cup on Monday, underlining the embarrassment of attacking riches at the country’s disposal.

The result reinforced the sense that Didier Deschamps’ side may be even more dangerous than France’s 2018 champions or their team that reached the final four years ago.

While Lionel Messi continues to carry much of Argentina’s scoring burden, France are discovering that almost any member of their formidable forward line can seize the spotlight.

In their 3-1 win over Senegal in their opening game, Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappe stole the show.

On Monday, with Iraq collapsing under France’s relentless movement and pressing after a nearly two-hour weather delay, Dembele reminded everyone why he arrived in the U.S. as the Ballon d’Or holder.

The Paris St Germain forward set up Mbappe’s second goal after pouncing on a dreadful Iraqi defensive error before getting on the scoresheet himself with a clinical right-foot finish after being released by Olise.

Dembele’s contribution was all the more significant because his performance against Senegal had attracted scrutiny in France, where some pundits suggested he looked less influential than his attacking teammates.

Mbappe, who opened the scoring with a long-range shot, had publicly defended Dembele on Sunday, insisting the winger had been France’s best attacker in the first half against Senegal and that his movement created the space others exploited.

Mbappe’s celebration after doubling France’s lead on Monday spoke volumes. Rather than basking in another World Cup goal, he immediately pointed towards Dembele, whose alertness and assist had made it possible, in what looked like a deliberate endorsement of his teammate and friend.

UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ATTACKERS

The understanding between France’s attackers was again evident throughout. Olise orchestrated much of the danger between the lines and was unlucky not to score when his audacious lob struck the crossbar in the second half.

Mbappe remained the finisher, taking his World Cup tally to 16 goals, while Dembele supplied craft and end product.

Perhaps the most ominous aspect for France’s rivals is that the cavalry remains in reserve.

Desire Doue, one of Europe’s brightest talents, and Rayan Cherki both came off the bench, adding fresh energy and invention to an attack that already looked overwhelming for long spells. Bradley Barcola, who started in place of Doue, had scored after coming on as a substitute against Senegal.

The result leaves France with six points from two games in Group I and through to the knockout rounds, but it also raises a broader question for the rest of the field.

Few teams can boast one elite match-winner. France have several.

On a day when Dembele flourished, Mbappe scored twice and Olise dazzled once again, the frightening reality for opponents is that next time it could just as easily be Cherki, Doue or Barcola taking centre stage.

Marcus Thuram, with 13 goals and six assists in Serie A with Inter Milan this season, was watching from the bench.

Erling Haaland’s second consecutive two-goal match led Norway into the round of 32 at the World Cup with a 3-2 victory against Senegal in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Monday (Jun 22)

Norway and France each have six points from two matches heading into their Group I finale on Friday in Foxborough, Mass. France lead on goal differential – plus five to plus four – meaning they need just a draw to take first place in the group.

Senegal are on the verge of elimination entering their match against Iraq on Friday in Toronto, with both teams sitting on zero points following two losses.

After goals by substitute Marcus Holmgren Pedersen in the 43rd minute and Haaland in the 48th, Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr pulled one back in the 53rd before Haaland made it a two-goal lead again in the 58th.

Sarr caused a nervy finish by scoring in the third minute of second-half stoppage time with a strike from the middle of the box to make it 3-2.

Haaland, who scored twice in his World Cup debut vs. Iraq in the opening match, made it 2-0 when Martin Odegaard slipped a pass through two defenders, and Haaland took a shot despite slipping.

Sarr held off two defenders to score from the centre of the box to make it 2-1, but Norway responded with pressure that created a turnover, and Patrick Berg spotted Haaland in front of the goal.

Haaland took the hip-high service and still managed to get off a right-footed shot. He has 24 goals during a 12-match goal streak for Norway in competitive matches and 59 goals in 52 career international matches overall.

Shortly after that, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who made three saves, left with an injury. Mory Diaw replaced him.

World Cup 2026: Race for the Golden Boot

In the event of a tie, players are ranked by assists and then by fewer minutes played.

Updated: Jun 23, 10.30am (SGT)

Ranking	Player	Goals scored	Assists
1	Lionel Messi Argentina	5	0
2	Kylian Mbappe France	4	0
3	Erling Haaland Norway	4	0
4	Deniz Undav Germany	3	2
5	Jonathan David Canada	3	0
6	Crysencio Summerville Netherlands	2	1
7	Mikel Oyarzabal Spain	2	1
8	Maxi Araujo Uruguay	2	1
9	Ayase Ueda Japan	2	1
10	Cody Gakpo Netherlands	2	1

The Norwegians started with a bang but could not crack the scoresheet despite a sequence of four consecutive corner kicks.

Still, it took a spectacular reactionary save by Mendy to keep Norway at bay in the fourth minute. Julian Ryerson’s in-swinger from the left corner went to unmarked Kristoffer Ajer at the 6-yard box.

Ajer headed the ball down, and Mendy trapped it between his legs at the goal line and, as he was falling, somehow flicked the ball out of harm’s way.

Pedersen entered in the 12th minute for an injured Ryerson, and a blunder by Kalidou Koulibaly led to his goal. Koulibaly’s clearance of an Odegaard pass went directly to Pedersen, who unleashed a shot that went off Mendy’s left arm.

ATLANTA, June 22 : In an expanded World Cup intended to spread the soccer spotlight wider than ever, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have already delivered the star power FIFA, broadcasters and the American audience crave, with Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal playing compelling supporting roles.

If there is one thing the U.S. loves, it is the gravitational pull of a superstar, with the American Dream built on the premise that an individual, armed with talent and charisma, can climb above the rest and carry the whole show.

Messi has risen to the challenge in style to become the all-time World Cup record scorer, two games into the tournament.

The almost 39-year-old netted a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria and picked up where he left off on Monday, when even a penalty miss failed to dim the sense that he is intent on enjoying what is almost certainly his last World Cup.

Messi again scored both Argentina’s goals in the 2-0 victory over Austria to take his tally to 18, and France’s Mbappe is closing in fast.

ONE STAR TURN INSPIRES ANOTHER

Mbappe netted twice when France beat Senegal 3-1 and two more in Monday’s 3-0 win over Iraq to sit two goals behind Messi on the all-time list.

After a difficult season, the 27-year-old Real Madrid forward is back playing with a smile on his face and a real spring in his step.

Spain struggled without Yamal in the scoreless draw against Cape Verde, but on Sunday the 18-year-old started his first game in two months and the sense of anticipation was palpable inside Atlanta Stadium.

The crowd were on their feet as Yamal netted the opening goal to inspire Spain in a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. 

Spain’s job was done by halftime, allowing them to replace Yamal, who played with the abandon of someone who does not feel the weight of a nation’s expectations on his young shoulders.

Messi made his World Cup debut in 2006, and 20 years later, wearing the same number 19 jersey, Yamal appears ready to inherit the mantle.

Norway’s Haaland has shaken off the pressure to perform in his first World Cup with four goals in two games. Haaland netted a double in the 4-1 win over Iraq and repeated the trick in Monday’s 3-2 victory against Senegal.

Haaland and Mbappe will face off on Friday when Norway and France battle for Group I supremacy, and the prolific forwards will continue their fight to rule the scoring charts.

Kane’s two goals against Croatia took him level with Gary Lineker on 10 World Cup goals for England, and the Golden Boot race is already a thrilling sideshow. 

Mbappe and Messi dominated the tournament four years ago. Mbappe was top scorer with eight goals, one more than Messi, but the Argentine lifted the trophy after a final in which the Frenchman’s hat-trick was not enough.

At this stage, a repeat final is looking a real possibility, but this World Cup could unearth a new hero in a land where audiences instinctively embrace the emergence of young talent.

SANTA CLARA, California, June 22 : Algeria brought forward Riyad Mahrez back into the starting lineup as captain for their World Cup Group J match on Monday against Jordan, who made two changes. 

• World Cup debutants Jordan will be eliminated if they lose to Algeria in the match at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

• Former Manchester City player Mahrez makes his first start of this World Cup after being on the bench in the opening defeat by Argentina. He takes over the captaincy from Aissa Mandi.

• Algeria bring Ramiz Zerrouki into the midfield in the second of their two changes.

• Jordan coach Jamal ​Sellami keeps faith with attackers Ali Olwan, who scored their first-ever World Cup goal in the game against Austria, and Mousa Al-Tamari.

• Jordan have brought Hossam Abu Al-Dahab into defence, while Mahmoud Al Mardi comes in up front.

• Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in Arlington earlier on Monday to book their place in the next round.

Lineups: 

Jordan: Yazeed Abu Laila, Abdullah Nasib, Hossam Abu Al-Dahab, Yazan Al‑Arab, Noor Al‑Rawabdeh, Ali Olwan, Mousa Al‑Tamari, Mahmoud Al Mardi, Muhannad Abu Taha, Nizar Al‑Rashdan, Ehsan Haddad

Algeria: Luca Zidane, Aissa Mandi, Ramiz Zerrouki, Riyad Mahrez, Amine Gouiri, Fares Chaibi, Hicham Boudaoui, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rafik Belghali, Ramy Bensebaini, Ibrahim Maza

PHILADELPHIA, June 22 : France manager Didier Deschamps suggested Kylian Mbappe will eventually claim the all-time World Cup goals record after the 27-year-old striker scored his second double of the tournament in Monday’s 3-0 win over Iraq.

Mbappe’s third and fourth goals of the finals pulled him level with Germany’s former all-time record holder Miroslav Klose on 16 for his career.

He is now two behind Lionel Messi, who has already scored five times in this tournament despite approaching his 39th birthday following his brace against Austria earlier on Monday.

“Well, records are there to be broken,” Deschamps said in the post-match press conference. “And now he has a symbolic figure. He has 100 caps. He’s always scored goals. He will score more goals.

“Take Messi, take (Cristiano) Ronaldo. I’m not sure that Kylian will play up to their age, but as long as he’s on the pitch and as he feels right, he will score a lot of goals.

“Every time he beats his own record, he does have the capacity to up his ante.”

Mbappe’s latest double was perhaps his most unusual, the goals coming nearly three hours apart in the first match of this World Cup beset by a lengthy weather delay.

What did France do during the delay?

“We played cards,” Deschamps quipped. “No, well, we were waiting. We had slots that kept being pushed forward again. And what is most important with my … colleague (Iraq manager)Graham (Arnold) is to have the 20 minutes to do another warm-up, to not take any risks.

“There was a lot of rain that made the pitch very heavy. It was the first time that it happened to me. Same for my players.”

Deschamps admitted the ordeal was frustrating, but also felt there was little anyone could have done differently.

“I was actually having a good time with the players. We’re making fun. You know, it’s a question of safety and it’s just the way it is. You cannot fight against rain and lightning when there is a risk.

“It’s almost early morning in Europe, well, these are very special circumstances and I do hope that they will not happen again.”

As for the other goalscorer, Ousmane Dembele, Deschamps hoped the reigning Ballon d’Or winner was just getting started after his first of the tournament.

“Be easy on Ousmane,” he said. “There’s no issue with Ousmane. He also needs to re-adapt to a system in which he doesn’t play throughout the year.

“As long as Ousmane is well physically, and this is the case, then it’s just fine-tuning. I trust in Ousmane. He knows that. And he’s not somebody who doubts and doing what he did today, it’s important because he’s a decisive player.”

PHILADELPHIA, June 22 : Iraq may have been on the wrong end of another superstar striker masterclass, but manager Graham Arnold insists his team’s tournament dreams remain intact despite Monday’s 3-0 defeat by France.

Kylian Mbappe scored twice in a Group I clash that was delayed more than two hours by severe weather, marking the second consecutive game where Iraq have conceded two goals to one of football’s elite forwards.

In their opener, Norway’s Erling Haaland found the net twice in a 4-1 victory.

But the Australian coach is keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Friday’s crucial final group match against Senegal, where Iraq’s hopes of reaching the knockout phase hang in the balance.

“For me now, it’s all about Senegal,” Arnold said. “With … eight third-placed teams going through. You know, we’ve still got a chance.”

Arnold praised his team’s first-half performance despite Mbappe’s opener from distance, but lamented how the lengthy weather delay seemed to disrupt their rhythm.

A costly goal-kick error immediately after the restart gifted France their second goal.

“Well, you know, there’s nothing I could do except I showed probably a little bit longer footage of the first half at halftime to show them where France was obviously hurting us a little bit,” Arnold explained.

“But it was more the players just had to sit and relax and keep relaxed and then get themselves obviously ready when we went back out there.”

The Iraq boss had nothing but admiration for Mbappe’s devastating display.

“He’s an incredible player,” Arnold said. “His speed is unstoppable. And that’s why we defended a little bit deeper than I always do because if you leave space in behind and Mbappe’s that quick, then he’ll destroy you.”

With Haaland and Mbappe both on the scoresheet in consecutive games against Iraq, Arnold sees an intriguing battle brewing.

“Haaland is scoring goals, and Messi’s obviously scoring goals, and Mbappe. So it’s going to be a very good competition between those three for the leading goal scorer.”

MIAMI, June 22 : One thing pretty much everyone at loanDepot park agreed on, Monday night baseball at the Miami Marlins had never looked anything like this before.

Bagpipes played, countless songs were sung and thousands of beers consumed as Scotland’s Tartan Army, in town for their country’s third World Cup match, took in another baseball game.

Scotland’s first friendly invasion came at Major League Baseball’s oldest ballpark, Fenway Park, last week and now it was the turn of the third youngest.

As in Boston, thousands of Scotland fans, well lubricated by beer, started their charm offensive by marching to the stadium in the afternoon heat accompanied by pipes and drums. 

“The heat is amazing, but again, we’ve had such a good welcome from the locals. Little Havana has become Little Scotland,” said Scotland fan Alan Hinnrichs.

“Boston really rolled out the red carpet. Miami’s trying, so we’ll see in a few days’ time if it matches up to its early days. Yeah, but they’re getting there. They’re getting there, they’re really good.”

At least this time the visiting team were prepared, the same Texas Rangers who had provided the opposition for the Red Sox in Boston were taking on the Marlins.

“NO SCOTLAND, NO PARTY” 

The locals tried to impose some of their norms on the occasion with a round of “USA! USA!” after the national anthem had been sung, but it was quickly drowned out by Scotland’s unofficial football anthem: “No Scotland, no party”.

The Marlins clearly intended to embrace the Scots as the Red Sox had with the on-field presenter sporting a kilt and Scotland player Billy Gilmour, who was ruled out of the World Cup by injury, asked to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. 

Many of the Scottish fans seemed to have little idea what was going on out on the field but they knew who their hosts were and became Marlins fans for the day.

When Rangers’ Joc Pederson ground out in the first at-bat, they leapt from their seats and roared as if it was Scotland scoring a goal against Brazil in Wednesday’s World Cup clash.

The Marlins fans have endured a good few lean years and most welcomed their temporary reinforcements, as well as marvelling at how full the stadium was for a Monday night.

“It’s fantastic, these guys should come every week,” said Miami local Lauren. 

“In football terms, this is not Premier League. If the Marlins could be relegated, they would be, every year.” 

Some, like Jay, a Florida-based New Yorker, had decided to come to the game just to see the visiting fans. 

“I came for the Scots,” he said. “I live 40 minutes down the road and I haven’t been in this stadium for five years.”

For some of the Scots, a long day drinking in the Miami heat and the unfamiliar sporting fare presented to them was starting to take its toll.

“It’s been great but I don’t know about this,” said Janey from West Lothian, stifling a yawn.

“I’ve never had an interest in American sports before and now I know why. It’s not football.”  

The Scots appear to be bringing little luck to their adopted teams, however, with the Rangers, who beat the Red Sox last week, grabbing a 4-3 win. 

June 22 : Norway’s players sat on the pitch and performed the “rowing” celebration made iconic by their fans during the World Cup after reaching the knockout stage with a nervy 3-2 win over Senegal. 

At their first finals since 1998, red-clad Norwegian fans have been doing their Viking row in stadiums, on escalators and even in New York’s Times Square, but it has never been more emotional or joyous than after the final whistle on Monday. 

Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland, whose double helped secure the win, brought the squad together to perform the row in front of the fans but they had to wait for coach Stale Solbakken, who sprinted up the steps in the stand at the final whistle to kiss and hug his wife. 

With the squad sitting in rows resembling those of a Viking longboat and Solbakken squeezing into the middle behind Haaland, Odegaard began beating the drum to a joyous climax.

TV pictures showed fans back in Trondheim joining in as the celebration brought Norway supporters around the world together, but midfielder Patrick Berg revealed that he did not think the row was going to catch on.

“At the start, I think people doubted a little bit – like, is this something that’s going to last or just something that’s going to die off? But it’s been a massive part of our World Cup so far,” he told reporters. 

“Doing it in New York is a really beautiful moment for us together. They started doing it back home in Oslo before we left for the World Cup, and now I think the whole world is aware of it … I feel the energy that we create together with (the fans) is really important for us.”

“It was incredibly fun,” forward Alexander Sorloth said, beaming with pride after the game. “A lot more fun than I would have thought. When you hear the sound, it’s magical.”

Asked how far he and the Viking rowing might take him and his team at the World Cup, Sorloth was confident. 

“We’ll see, but if we reach our top level, it’s a tournament and everything can happen, but if we reach our top level, we can go far,” he said. 

Norway are second in the group with six points, behind France on goal difference, with the two teams meeting in their final Group I game on Friday.

MIAMI (AP) — The sound of bagpipes echoed around the outskirts of the Miami Marlins’ ballpark hours before the first pitch, as Scotland fans announced their arrival in South Florida days before their squad’s World Cup match against Brazil.

Dressed in kilts and belting “No Scotland, No Party,” they marched roughly one mile from a popular Miami bar to loanDepot Park on Monday night, turning the stadium into the latest stop on the Tartan Army’s Major League Baseball takeover tour after they filled the streets of Boston and New York for Scotland’s previous matches.

Inside the ballpark, the atmosphere was more lively than for most weeknight games for the Marlins, who in recent years have had some of the worst attendance in baseball. Longtime supporters were looking forward to seeing their ballpark transformed by the boisterous Scotland fans.

“It’s going to give a really good experience to us fans,” said Victor Munoz, a Miami native. “Usually the stadium’s not full, now it’s going to be full. It’s going to be packed. It’ll be fun.”

Scotland fans roared during a routine groundout in the first inning and chanted in anticipation of nearly every pitch. Some kicked around empty beer cans as if they were soccer balls. They took over the concourse, wearing traffic cones atop their heads while cheering.

“We’re loving everything,” said Johnnie Sloan, who flew to Boston from Glasgow, Scotland, and drove to Miami for Wednesday’s match. “We’re here for the World Cup, obviously, but tonight we’re here in Miami going to watch the baseball (game). This is a warmup for Wednesday. I guarantee the Miami Marlins win tonight because they’ve got the full support of the Tartan Army.”

The Marlins lost 4-3 to the Texas Rangers, but the Scots embraced the experience, singing afterward as if they were celebrating a victory.

“Lively out there tonight,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “That was quite the atmosphere.”

The announced crowd of 20,008 included about 8,000 members of the Tartan Army, and it was a striking sight. The ballpark was used for the World Baseball Classic, where a sellout crowd of 36,190 watched Venezuela beat the United States in the final earlier this year. But the Marlins entered Monday’s game averaging 12,604 fans per game in the regular season.

They’ve been one of the hottest teams in baseball, going an MLB-best 14-4 in June with an eight-game home winning streak entering Monday.

Munoz hopes the Tartan Army takeover leads to more attention for the ascending Miami team.

“It’s going to give us visibility,” Munoz said. “The Marlins are a fairly new team. So it’s good because that way, the world is going to get to know us. And we’ll eventually get to become like a Yankee team.”

The Scots had descended on bars and filled the pubs in the Boston area as they celebrated their team’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years, and a historic victory over Haiti in their opener.

“I don’t think the ballpark is ready to supply so much beer,” said Harry Guerrero, a Marlins season ticket holder who was born and raised in Miami. “I honestly think it’s going to be out of hand. But I wish the ballpark well.”

Members of the Tartan Army met at the bar Ball & Chain to begin their march to the ballpark. Guerrero showed up to share a few drinks. He said it was the earliest he’d arrived at a Marlins game in at least five years.

“It’s kind of crazy. We’re so glad to have them in Miami and we hope they enjoy themselves,” he added. “I hope they’re getting hydration — I told them — and their sunscreen because they’re a bunch of pale guys.”

After singing along to a live pregame performance by Nick Morgan, who released the song “No Scotland, No Party,” fans turned the famed chant into “No Marlins, No Party” throughout the night.

The players noticed.

“They brought their spirit over. It was really cool to see,” said Owen Caissie, who had to corral a few water-filled beach balls in the outfield.

Added Marlins starting pitcher Tyler Phillips: “If it was up to me, I would have us paying those people to show up to the games. That was unbelievable. Like from the second I walked out and then up the dugout, I felt it in my chest. It felt great. … And man, if I ever see them, like if I’m ever out there, I got their backs.”

MIAMI: From David Narey’s toepoke to the opening game of France 98, World Cup clashes between Brazil and Scotland became a staple at the tournament towards the end of the last century and the teams renew acquaintances in a decisive final group game on Wednesday.

The Group C encounter in Miami will be the fifth meeting of the nations on the biggest stage, making it one of the most played fixtures in tournament history.

Not the most played outright, because Brazil have faced Sweden seven times including in the 1958 final and in the 1994 semi-finals.

There have also been seven meetings of Argentina and Germany or West Germany, three of which have come in finals.

But the Selecao and the Scots faced off four times at World Cups between 1974 and 1998, all in the group stage – after all, Scotland have never gone beyond the first round.

Narey’s strike in Seville in 1982 remains an iconic World Cup moment, but it did not really have the desired effect as it simply stirred the Brazil of Socrates and Zico to life – they came back to win 4-1.

In 1974 in West Germany, Kenny Dalglish’s Scotland held the Brazil of Jairzinho and Rivellino to a goalless draw, and were ultimately eliminated on goal difference.

A late Mueller goal gave the Brazilians a 1-0 victory in Turin at Italia 90, and in 1998 Scotland prevented Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Bebeto from scoring only for Tom Boyd’s own goal to decide the contest 2-1 in favour of the World Cup holders.

So can Scotland upset the odds and finally beat the Brazilians at the World Cup?

“Brazil have got an amazing history and we obviously want to disrupt that on Wednesday,” said defender Jack Hendry, whose namesake Colin captained Scotland in that 1998 game.

– Shot at history –

Scotland are hoping to make history by qualifying for the knockout phase for the first time, after starting their campaign with a 1-0 win over Haiti in Boston.

That was followed by a 1-0 defeat against Morocco, but a draw here will almost certainly take them through as one of the eight best third-placed sides – in fact they could even yet advance with a defeat, and three points.

“If there’s a nation to play to get to the next round, we want to do it against these type of teams, so it’s going to be a great spectacle,” added Hendry.

“Scotland against Brazil in Miami to make some history is something you dream of,” said John McGinn, who was just three when the nations last met at the tournament.

The fixture perhaps doesn’t have quite the same aura for Brazil, the record five-time World Cup winners.

They are just focused on getting the job done and advancing to the next round in the best possible position in the group – a win will be required to make sure of that, as they and Morocco both have four points so far.

Brazil are without Barcelona forward Raphinha due to injury but this could be the occasion for Neymar to finally make his return for the Selecao.

The 34-year-old, his country’s all-time record scorer, was called up by coach Carlo Ancelotti despite not having appeared for Brazil since October 2023 due to injury.

He then, almost inevitably, suffered another injury to his right calf which has kept him out of the team’s two games so far in the United States, but the ex-Paris Saint-Germain superstar is now ready to play.

“We saw the quality he has in training, we were speechless,” said Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli on Monday.

“When you look at the shape he is in you can see that he is desperate to get out there and we are delighted to have him.”

Brazil’s last meeting with Scotland was a friendly in 2011 in London, in which Neymar scored twice on just his third cap.

Full-back Aaron Hickey remains a doubt for Scotland after not playing against Morocco.