Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France booked their place at the 2026 World Cup with a convincing 4-0 victory over Ukraine at Parc des Princes. The reigning World Cup runner-up displayed complete control in the second half, with midfielder Michael Olise and substitute Hugo Ekitike also getting on the scoresheet.
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 55th minute, converting a penalty with a precise shot down the center. Olise doubled the lead in the 76th minute, curling the ball into the net from inside the penalty area. France added a third goal shortly after, with Mbappe finishing off a scramble in front of goal.
The star forward narrowly missed out on a hat trick, firing over when clean through in the closing stages. With these two goals, Mbappe has now scored 55 times for France, just two shy of Olivier Giroud’s record as the nation’s all-time top scorer.
Coach Didier Deschamps praised the forward’s impact, saying that the team always performs better with Mbappe on the pitch. He added that the striker excelled both as a leader and a player during the match.
Group standings and next fixtures
France finished Group D at the top with 13 points, confirming their place in the World Cup. Ukraine and Iceland are level on seven points and will face each other on Sunday to determine second place in the group.
The French squad’s performance underlined their readiness for the 2026 tournament, with key players like Mbappe delivering pivotal contributions in crucial matches. Meanwhile, Portugal must regroup and hope for a positive result in their remaining fixtures to avoid further setbacks.