France booked their place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden, inspired by a brilliant brace from .
Didier Deschamps’ side dominated the Round of 16 encounter from start to finish at New Jersey, USA, on Tuesday night, showcasing their attacking strength and defensive solidity.
France made four changes to the starting lineup from their final group-stage match against Norway, bringing in Lucas Digne, Adrien Rabiot, William Saliba and Bradley Barcola.
The French side controlled possession early on, though Sweden created a few dangerous moments. Alexander Isak tested goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the fourth minute, but the French shot-stopper dealt with it comfortably.
Mbappé thought he had opened the scoring in the 21st minute after a pass from Michael Olise, but the goal was ruled out for offside. France continued to press, hitting the woodwork twice before finally breaking the deadlock in stoppage time of the first half. Mbappé cut inside from the left and fired a powerful shot into the far corner to give France a 1-0 lead.
France returned even stronger after the break. In the 53rd minute, Bradley Barcola doubled the advantage with a composed finish after an excellent through ball from Michael Olise.
Sweden attempted to respond, but their efforts lacked precision. France remained in control and kept creating chances, with Olise and Mbappé proving a constant threat.
Mbappé sealed the victory in the 74th minute, finishing from close range after another well-worked move involving Olise. The second goal took the French captain level with in the race for the tournament’s top scorer.
Both teams made several substitutions in the closing stages, but the scoreline remained unchanged as France comfortably secured their passage to the last eight.
France will now face in the quarter-finals as they continue their pursuit of a third World Cup title.
