Mbappe equals Deschamps' legendary record

French star Kylian Mbappé continued to make history with his national team at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first outfield player to lead France to victory in his first two matches as captain of Les Bleus since the legendary Didier Deschamps in the historic 1998 edition. This achievement came after Mbappé guided France to two consecutive victories in the group stage: a 3-1 win against Senegal and a 3-0 win against Iraq, securing France's qualification for the Round of 32 before the final group match. Deschamps had achieved the same feat when he captained France at the start of their 1998 World Cup campaign, which culminated in France winning their first-ever World Cup title. He led them to a 3-0 victory over South Africa and a 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia in their first two matches. While former goalkeeper Hugo Lloris captained France in several World Cups, this record is limited to outfield players, making Mbappé the first to repeat Deschamps' achievement after 28 years. The night's brilliance wasn't limited to this historic milestone. The Real Madrid striker celebrated his 100th international appearance in the best possible way, scoring twice against Iraq and bringing his tally to 40 goals for the French national team. Mbappé also increased his World Cup goal total to 16 in just 16 matches, equaling German legend Miroslav Klose for second place on the all-time World Cup top scorers list and continuing his pursuit of records in the global tournament.