France managed to advance to the tournament semi-finals thanks to goals scored by Mbappé and Dembélé.
France managed to advance to the tournament semi-finals thanks to goals scored by Mbappé and Dembélé.
The French national team confidently advanced to the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday. Kylian Mbappé scored both of these goals, allowing 'Les Bleus' to continue their flawless run in the tournament.
The captain of the French team opened the scoring shortly before halftime with a brilliant individual breakthrough. In the second half, Bradley Barcola doubled the advantage. Then Mbappé scored the third goal in the 74th minute, concluding another quick attack and definitively securing the result.
France posed a threat throughout the first half: Mbappé hit the post, and Michael Olise headed a shot that hit the crossbar. Sweden managed to avoid these moments until they capitalized on a short corner, which allowed Mbappé to break inside and score a precise shot past Jakob Videll Zetterström.
After the break, the French team maintained control of the game and needed only eight minutes to score again. Gustav Lagerbielke lost the ball deep in his own half, after which Aurien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, whose accurate cross allowed Barcola to calmly score the second French goal. Mbappé completed his brace by linking up with Barcola and Olise in a swift attack.
These goals brought Mbappé's total goals in the World Cup to 18, leaving him one goal behind Lionel Messi in the overall top scorer list for the tournament. Furthermore, he tied the Argentine player with six goals in this year's Golden Boot race. The twenty-seven-year-old player also became the absolute leader in goals scored in World Cup playoff matches with ten goals.
The victory guarantees 'Les Bleus' a match in the quarterfinals against Paraguay, who knocked out Germany in a penalty shootout. France, aiming for its third consecutive World Cup final, will enter this match with full confidence after another dominant attacking performance against Sweden.
