Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
… Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in France's weather-disrupted 3-0 win over Iraq, while Norway striker Erling Haaland took his tournament tally to four goals with two more in the Norwegians' 3-2 defeat of Senegal.Messi, who had tied Miroslav Klose's record of 16 goals with a brilli …
Messi is in a league of his ownCitizen Digital
… Having already qualified for the last 32 following a 3-1 victory over Senegal and a 3-0 win against Iraq, France will be aiming to top their group when they face Erling Haaland and Norway on Friday in Foxborough, Massachusetts. …
Grieving Deschamps to miss France's final World Cup group gameCitizen Digital
… Having already qualified for the last 32 following a 3-1 victory over Senegal and a 3-0 win against Iraq, France will be aiming to top their group when they face Erling Haaland and Norway on Friday in Foxborough, Massachusetts. …
Grieving Deschamps to miss France's final World Cup group gameCitizen Digital
… d weather hits the World Cup By AFP June 23, 2026 03:08 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter A screen shows a severe thunder storm warning during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq …
Lightning, downpour, a two-hour delay: bad weather hits the World CupCitizen Digital
… d weather hits the World Cup By AFP June 23, 2026 03:08 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter A screen shows a severe thunder storm warning during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq …
Lightning, downpour, a two-hour delay: bad weather hits the World CupThe Standard
Audio By VocalizeKylian Mbappe marked his 100th cap by scoring two more World Cup goals on Monday as France eased to a 3-0 win over Iraq in a game delayed by two hours by a severe storm. …
Mbappe scores twice as France beat Iraq at World Cup after two-hour storm delayThe Standard
… Messi is now four goals clear of another player eyeing the all-time World Cup scoring record, Kylian Mbappe, who will play his 100th game for France when they meet Iraq in Philadelphia."There is nothing bigger -- 100 is a historic figure, and to have the chance to reach that tall …
Messi sets World Cup scoring record as Argentina down AustriaCitizen Digital
… But the coaching staff are handling it very well," Saliba said at a press conference ahead of his country's upcoming Group I match against Iraq. …
Saliba says playing through the pain at World CupCitizen Digital
… Tankers linked to Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are likely to be among the first to resume transits, said Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, an analyst at Global Risk Management. …
What happens when the Strait of Hormuz re-opens?Citizen Digital
… From Messi's hat-trick against Algeria, Haaland's double versus Iraq and Mbappe's brace against Senegal, Tuesday's matches offered some succour to those backing the favourites. …
Goal machines Messi, Haaland and Mbappe give their teams perfect startsWith ten African nations competing in the 2026 World Cup, the continent is closing the gap with traditional powerhouses. Kenya, as co-host of Afcon 2027, should learn from African teams' performances—particularly Senegal's record 5-0 victory over Iraq—to strengthen Kenyan football ahead of the tournament.
28 June 2026 · The Standard →
With ten African nations competing in the 2026 World Cup, the continent is closing the gap with traditional powerhouses. Kenya, as co-host of Afcon 2027, should learn from African teams' performances—particularly Senegal's record 5-0 victory over Iraq—to strengthen Kenyan football ahead of the tournament.
28 June 2026 · The Standard →
Ousmane Dembele scored three goals in 26 first-half minutes as France defeated Norway 4-1, with a late Desire Doue header completing the win. France advanced as Group I winners with three straight victories.
27 June 2026 · The Standard →
Senegal scored five goals in a World Cup match, the first African side to do so, with Pape Gueye getting a double in a 5-0 win over Iraq. Senegal boosted their chances of progressing as one of the best third-placed teams with the best goal difference among teams on three points.
27 June 2026 · The Standard →
Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick as France defeated Norway 4-1 to clinch top spot in World Cup Group I. Senegal kept their hopes of advancing with a victory over Iraq.
27 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
France play Norway in a crucial World Cup Group I match on Friday, with Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City's Erling Haaland both in fine form. The two forwards have each scored four goals in the tournament, trailing leader Lionel Messi on five.
26 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
France will play Norway in their final World Cup group game on Friday without head coach Didier Deschamps, who returned home to attend his mother's funeral. The squad expressed their determination to make Deschamps "as proud as possible" during his absence, with assistant coach Guy Stephan leading the team.
26 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Norway has advanced to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, their first return in 28 years. Norwegian Football Federation chief Lise Klaveness attributes their success to a grassroots development model that keeps young players with local clubs under volunteer coaches, a system that produced players including Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
26 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw said his team will approach their game against Iraq on Friday like a final to stay alive in the World Cup, after losses to France and Norway left them with zero points in Group I.
26 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The race for the World Cup Golden Boot has become a major talking point at the 2026 tournament, with Lionel Messi breaking the overall career record of 18 goals across six World Cups. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are chasing with four goals each, while the single-tournament record of 13 goals set by Just Fontaine in 1958 appears vulnerable.
24 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Lionel Messi leads the Golden Boot standings with five goals from two games, followed by Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland with four goals each. This is only the second time in World Cup history that three players have scored four or more times after two matches, the first since 1954.
24 June 2026 · The Standard →
Lionel Messi broke Miroslav Klose's record with his 17th and 18th World Cup goals in Argentina's 2-0 win over Austria, advancing to the last 32. France defeated Iraq 3-0 and Norway beat Senegal 3-2 to also advance to the knockout rounds.
24 June 2026 · The Standard →
France coach Didier Deschamps will miss his team's final World Cup Group I match against Norway on Friday after learning of his mother's death and returning to France for the funeral. Assistant Guy Stephan will take charge of the squad in his absence.
24 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
French national football team coach Didier Deschamps will miss his team's final World Cup Group I match against Norway on Friday after his mother died. Assistant Guy Stephan will take charge of the squad in his absence.
24 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A France vs. Iraq match at the 2026 World Cup in Philadelphia was halted for more than two hours due to lightning and torrential rain, marking the first time a tournament match has been paused for weather. France was leading 1-0 when play was suspended.
23 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
At the 2026 World Cup in Philadelphia, a France vs Iraq match was suspended for more than two hours due to lightning and torrential rain, marking the first weather-related match pause at the tournament. France was leading 1-0 when play was halted.
23 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kylian Mbappe marked his 100th cap with two goals as France defeated Iraq 3-0 in a World Cup match delayed two hours by a severe storm in Philadelphia. Ousmane Dembele scored the other goal for France, with Mbappe moving to 16 career World Cup goals.
23 June 2026 · The Standard →
Lionel Messi became the World Cup's all-time leading goalscorer with 18 goals as Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 in Group J, surpassing the previous record of 16 goals shared with Miroslav Klose. The victory secures Argentina's place in the knockout rounds of the tournament.
22 June 2026 · The Standard →
France centre-half William Saliba said he has been "gritting his teeth" and playing through pain at the World Cup after suffering from a back problem for the past few months, and is not operating at "100 percent" in North America.
21 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane is expected to reopen on Friday after nearly four months following a US-Iran agreement to end the Middle East war. While stranded ships could theoretically move through almost immediately once formal approval is given, some vessels may require underwater hull cleaning, and a return to normal operations is likely to take time.
18 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria, Erling Haaland scored twice for Norway against Iraq, and Kylian Mbappe scored twice for France against Senegal in Tuesday's World Cup Group J matches, giving their teams winning starts despite recent dips in form.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An Iranian official announced that the funeral procession for late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli strikes in February, will pass through Iraq on July 8 before his burial in Mashhad, Iran on July 9.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
France coach Didier Deschamps praised captain Kylian Mbappe as "extraordinary" after he scored twice in France's 3-1 World Cup victory over Senegal, becoming his country's all-time leading goal scorer. Bradley Barcola added a second goal for France, with Ibrahim Mbaye scoring for Senegal in the Group I match.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy attributed his team's 3-1 World Cup defeat to France on Tuesday to lack of concentration at critical moments, saying they failed to execute their game plan despite a strong first half and missed chances.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Erling Haaland scored twice in his first World Cup game as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 on Tuesday in their opening match of the 2026 tournament, with Leo Ostigard and an own goal adding further goals. Norway topped Group I on goal difference level with France after the win.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kylian Mbappe scored twice in France's 3-1 World Cup win against Senegal at MetLife Stadium, with Bradley Barcola also scoring. Mbappe's 14 World Cup goals move him level with Gerd Mueller as the third-highest scorer in World Cup history.
17 June 2026 · The Standard →
Norway coach Stale Solbakken said striker Erling Haaland proved the World Cup "wasn't too big" for him after scoring two goals in a 4-1 win over Iraq. Haaland has now scored 57 international goals in 51 appearances for Norway.
17 June 2026 · The Standard →
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to become the tournament's joint all-time top scorer with 16 goals, matching Miroslav Klose, as Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0 in their World Cup opener. The 38-year-old also became the first player to appear in six World Cups.
17 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kylian Mbappe scored twice to lead France to a 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opening World Cup Group I match, with Bradley Barcola also on target. Mbappe became France's all-time top scorer with 58 goals.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iran's World Cup squad departed Turkey for Mexico on Saturday ahead of the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, after the US refused to issue visas for some team support staff, triggering a diplomatic row between Tehran and Washington.
7 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, both sidelined by hamstring injuries at the end of the club season, should be ready for Spain's World Cup Group H opener on June 15 against Cape Verde in Atlanta.
3 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →