France secured its place in the World Cup round of 16 after a dominant 3-0 victory over Sweden. The match, held in East Rutherford, N.J., saw Kylian Mbappé score two goals, breaking a World Cup knockout round scoring record. Bradley Barcola added another goal for France.
Mbappé put France ahead in the 45th minute with a crossover step and scored his second goal in the 74th minute. This marked his third two-goal game in four matches during the tournament. His six goals in the tournament tie him with Argentina forward Lionel Messi for the lead, and his career total of 18 World Cup goals places him one behind Messi’s record.
Mbappé’s 10 knockout round goals surpass the previous high held by Brazilian players Leonidas and Ronaldo. France coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged Mbappé’s performance when the star player was substituted in the 85th minute. Mbappé commented on the team’s performance, stating that while they played well, there was room for improvement, particularly at the start of the match.
France, the runner-up in the previous World Cup, is considered a tournament favorite. The team has outscored its opponents 13-2, with Michael Olise contributing five assists. Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf noted France’s skill in controlling the pace of the game, possessing the ball, and falling back defensively.
The match was played in challenging conditions at MetLife Stadium, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) and high humidity. France outshot Sweden 25-7, including 15-3 in the first half. During a hydration break, France defender Lucas Digne was seen cooling off with a sprinkler.
Before scoring, Mbappé hit a post in the 32nd minute. Four minutes later, Olise’s bicycle kick also struck the post. Mbappé’s first goal came after Sweden goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise’s shot. Olise then played a short corner to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé. Mbappé maneuvered past Viktor Gyökeres and sent a diagonal shot into the far post.
Mbappé’s 61st international goal was celebrated with Dembélé and a hug with Deschamps, who had returned for the match after attending his mother’s funeral. The second goal for France followed a turnover by Gustaf Lagerbielke. Aurélien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, who then set up Barcola for the score. Mbappé contributed to the third goal with a backheel pass to Barcola, who then passed to Olise, leading to Mbappé’s final goal.
The crowd of 80,663 contributed to a record total attendance for the expanded 104-match tournament, surpassing 5 million. The majority of fans wore France’s blue, with a section in Sweden’s yellow. Lindelöf reflected on Sweden’s journey to the World Cup, acknowledging their loss to one of the world’s top teams.
France will now face Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia, with the winner advancing to a quarterfinal match against either Canada or Morocco five days later in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Norway’s Historic Knockout Victory
In another significant match, Norway achieved its first-ever World Cup knockout game victory, defeating Ivory Coast 2-1 in Arlington, Texas. Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal in the 86th minute, marking his fifth goal in three games in the tournament.
The winning play began when Patrick Berg, surrounded by three defenders, passed to a wide-open Haaland. Earlier in the match, Antonio Nusa scored with a curling kick for Norway. This marks Norway’s fourth appearance in the World Cup.
Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, who entered the game in the 60th minute, equalized the score in the 74th minute with a left-footed kick inside the penalty box. Diallo had previously prevented Norway from extending their lead to two goals.
Norway will now advance to the round of 16, where they will play against five-time champion Brazil on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This upcoming match will occur 28 years after a notable Norway victory against Brazil.
The 1998 World Cup saw Norway reach the knockout round after a 2-1 comeback win over then-reigning champion Brazil in their group finale. This current tournament marks Norway’s first World Cup appearance since that 1998 event.
Expanded World Cup Tournament
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest tournament to date, having expanded from 32 to 48 teams. This expansion nearly doubles the number of scheduled matches and introduces a new Round of 32 before the Round of 16. The tournament is being co-hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Host cities in Canada include Toronto and Vancouver. Mexico’s host cities are Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey. The United States is hosting matches in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The final match is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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Source: latimes.com
Mason Reed
Sports reporter covering football, basketball and international competitions.