2026 World Cup: France outclass Sweden 3-0, with Mbappe and Olise in full flow in the last 16
Didier Deschamps, back in the dugout after being hit by the death of his mother last week, was given the kind of night every manager dreams about. At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, France controlled Sweden from start to finish to win 3-0 in the last 16 and book a last-eight meeting with Paraguay in Philadelphia on 4 July. It was built on crisp team play, slick combinations and the constant class of Michael Olise, even if the opening 20 minutes hinted that the heat might flatten French quality.
The game burst into life after the first drinks break. Adrien Rabiot had a shot kept out, Mbappe then rattled the post, Olise tried an overhead kick that cannoned off the woodwork, and Dembele forced a save with a strike that skimmed the angle. France had earned the opener, and it came just before the break with a lovely move: Olise and Dembele worked a short corner, the ball was delivered perfectly into the box, Mbappe beat Gyokeres and finished right-footed into the far corner on 45 minutes for 1-0. The captain then pulled the whole squad into Deschamps’s embrace in a strong image to round off a first half of the highest quality.
The second half picked up where the first left off. Barcola made it 2-0 on 53 minutes after a move started by Tchouameni, finishing off an Olise pass slipped through the legs of Lagerbielke. Mbappe then made it 3-0 on 74 minutes from another assist by the Bayern Munich man, taking his World Cup tally to 18 goals. Mike Maignan had only one real save to make all night, turning away a Gyokeres effort on 89 minutes. A clean, comfortable win.
on MathODDS
Olise keeps dazzling, Mbappe hits 18 World Cup goals
Mbappe scored twice, but Michael Olise was the man who lit up MetLife Stadium. He makes everything look simple and opens up space in an instant, and the Bayern Munich midfielder was behind almost every dangerous France attack. His acrobatic effort against the post in the first half could have been the goal of the tournament. If he did not score, he still logged two official assists for Barcola and Mbappe, plus a third in spirit, with his shot leading to the corner from which the opener came. Sweden’s defenders hacked at him in frustration, but they never came close to stopping him.
Paraguay, who face France in Philadelphia on 4 July, will have watched this one with plenty of concern. A red-hot attack, a goalkeeper who barely had a thing to do, and a collective performance that looks stronger by the game: this France side is building nicely as the tournament goes on. Deschamps can head into the last 16 with the calm of a coach who knows his team is ready to go deep in this World Cup.
Find all the latest World Cup news on our site and app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Photo Credit / Charly Triballeau by AFP
Leave a Reply