France overwhelm Sweden 3-0 as Mbappé matches Messi's goal tally to reach World Cup last 16
Kylian Mbappé scored twice and Michael Olise added two assists as France cruised past Sweden 3-0 in the World Cup round of 32, setting up a last-16 clash with Paraguay.
Dominant display
France dismantled Sweden in New York with a performance that reinforced their status as the team to beat at this World Cup. After an even opening 20 minutes in which Alexander Isak forced a save from Mike Maignan, Didier Deschamps' side shifted through the gears. A Mbappé strike was ruled out for a marginal offside, but the warning shot heralded a period of relentless French pressure that eventually produced three unanswered goals.
Mbappé catches Messi
The captain's two goals took him to six in the tournament, level with Argentina's Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring charts. Mbappé now has 18 World Cup goals across his career, one behind Messi's all-time record. His finishes against Sweden were clinical, the second a product of a flowing move that typified France's attacking cohesion. The brace was Mbappé's third of the tournament, after earlier doubles against Senegal and Iraq.
Olise the orchestrator
While Mbappé applied the finishing touches, Michael Olise pulled the strings from midfield. The Bayern Munich playmaker assisted Barcola's goal and one of Mbappé's, taking his tournament tally to five assists, the highest of any player. Olise also struck the post with a spectacular bicycle kick and was at the heart of France's most incisive moves. The partnership between Olise, operating centrally behind the striker, and the forward trio of Dembélé, Barcola and Mbappé overwhelmed Sweden's defence.
- Kylian Mbappé
- 6 goals
- Lionel Messi
- 6 goals
Deschamps returns after personal loss
Head coach Didier Deschamps missed France's final group-stage match after the death of his mother and only buried her last Friday. His return to the touchline coincided with his team's most complete performance yet. France have now scored three goals in all four of their World Cup matches, beating Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0, Norway 4-1 and Sweden 3-0. The victory was the widest margin of any round-of-32 tie.
Next up: Paraguay
France will face Paraguay in the last 16, after the South Americans eliminated Germany in a major upset. Sweden, coached by Graham Potter, exit the tournament with few chances created beyond the opening minutes. For Les Bleus, the path looks increasingly clear, with the squad's depth and form prompting the question of who can stop them.
