Mbappé Leads 10-Man France to Dramatic Victory Over Iceland in World Cup Qualifier

Dramatic Victory at Parc des Princes

France emerged victorious with a final score of 2-1 against Iceland in their 2026 World Cup Qualifier match, managing to secure three points despite being reduced to ten men.

Match Highlights

The match saw an early surprise when Andri Gudjohnsen put Iceland ahead in the 21st minute at Parc des Princes. However, France’s star player Kylian Mbappé equalised from the penalty spot just before halftime and later provided the assist for Bradley Barcola’s winning goal in the 62nd minute.

The goal was particularly significant for Mbappé, as it brought his international tally to 52, surpassing Thierry Henry’s record and leaving him just five goals short of Olivier Giroud’s all-time mark.

Drama and Tension

The match took a dramatic turn when France was reduced to ten men in the final 22 minutes after Aurélien Tchouaméni received a red card for a studs-up challenge on Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson. Despite this setback, the two-time world champions managed to hold on, even surviving a late scare when a potential Iceland equalizer was disallowed following VAR review.

Qualification Impact

Both teams entered the match with momentum from their opening victories in the qualification campaign, with France having defeated Ukraine 2-0 and Iceland impressive in their 5-0 win over Azerbaijan.

This victory continues France’s historical dominance over Iceland, having won 14 of their 19 meetings since 1957. The result reflects the significant gap in quality between the two nations, with Les Bleus demonstrating their ability to overcome adversity and secure crucial points in their World Cup qualification campaign.