France’s 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Iraq was temporarily suspended Monday due to a thunderstorm. Play resumed after a delay. Kylian Mbappé scored for France during the match, raising questions about his pursuit of Lionel Messi’s all-time international goal record. The game began at 11 PM local time, with observers noting the potential for Mbappé to replicate Erling Haaland’s recent two-goal performance against Iraq. The suspension occurred during active gameplay, prompting a pause in the competition. Details regarding the length of the delay were initially unclear, but play has since restarted.