France resolved its round of 32 match at the 2026 World Cup with authority and ensured its presence in the round of 16 after defeating Sweden 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, in a performance marked by the offensive imbalance of Kylian Mbappé and the creative prominence of Michael Olise. The team led by Didier Deschamps found space in the final stretch of the first half and ended up imposing a difference that reflected their superiority.

The victory places the French in the next round, where they will face Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia. The South American team arrives stronger after leaving Germany out in a penalty shootout.

For much of the first half the game moved at a contained pace. Sweden opted for a compact defensive structure and refused to take risks, while France managed possession without accelerating too much. The first approaches were isolated and goalkeeper Zetterström responded when required.

The Scandinavian resistance lasted for about half an hour. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres tried to keep the offensive pressure alive with constant movements, although without generating situations that compromised the French team.

France accelerated and found the match

The development changed progressively after the hydration pause. France raised the intensity and began to accumulate chances. Mbappé had an action invalidated due to offside, Adrien Rabiot tried from mid-range and the Real Madrid forward himself wasted a clear opportunity after being in front of the goal.

Olise also began to take on a more decisive role. The attacker was close to signing one of the most spectacular actions of the tournament with a scissors inside the area that ended up hitting the post.

The opening of the scoring came before the break. In a set play from a short corner kick, France linked a series of passes until Ousmane Dembélé found Mbappé. The French attacker resolved with an individual maneuver and defined the long post to establish the 1-0.

That goal had an additional emotional charge as it was dedicated to Deschamps, who is going through a personal moment of mourning due to the recent death of his mother.

The second half showed an even wider difference between both teams. Sweden failed to react and France took advantage of every space. The second goal came from a direct sequence: Aurélien Tchouaméni scored for Olise and the winger assisted Bradley Barcola, who directed the ball and finished powerfully to extend the lead.

With the result in their favor, France continued attacking.

Olise continued to make a difference and once again became the generator of the third goal. The attacker filtered a pass that left Mbappé alone in front of the goalkeeper and the forward did not fail to complete his double.

The French attacker scored six goals in this edition of the World Cup and equaled Lionel Messi's record in the tournament. In addition, he was one goal behind the Argentine in the historical ranking of World Cup scorers.

Olise, for his part, reached five assists in the championship and confirmed his weight within the French offensive system.

With a smooth qualification and a convincing performance, France will arrive at the duel against Paraguay with room to sustain its aspirations in the knockout phase.

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