Mbappe Scores Six in Four Games as France Demolish Sweden 3-0: Paraguay Await in the Last 16

[ClaudioHerrera]

France produced the most complete performance of the knockout stage so far, dismantling Sweden 3-0 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Tuesday to advance to the round of 16 with a degree of ease that has the rest of the tournament's survivors watching nervously. Kylian Mbappe delivered a brace to take his tournament total to six goals, equalling Lionel Messi on the all-time World Cup leading scorer list for this edition, while Michael Olise continued his extraordinary tournament with two more assists, bringing his total for the competition to five. Olise found Mbappe for the first, threading a precise pass through Sweden's defensive line, and then set up Bradley Barcola for a clinical second-half finish before again providing for Mbappe's sixth of the tournament.

The match was closer than the scoreline suggested for the opening half-hour, with Sweden's Graham Potter-coached side defending compactly and frustrating France's movement. Mbappe had a goal ruled out for offside in the opening exchanges before the dam broke just before half-time. Once France took the lead the contest was effectively settled. Sweden had been brittle all tournament, having leaked five goals against the Netherlands in the group stage and seven overall, and France's attacking depth is simply on a different level from anything they have faced.

Deschamps missed the Norway group game flying back to Europe after the death of his mother, an extraordinarily difficult personal context in which to be managing the world's most watched football tournament. His emotional celebration with Mbappe after the French captain's goal carried the weight of a difficult week. France face Paraguay on Saturday July 4 in Philadelphia, Germany's shock conquerors, and will be expected to advance comfortably. Beyond that, England or Congo DR await in the quarter-final.

France vs. Sweden score, 2026 FIFA World Cup: Kylian Mbappe and Les Bleus eliminate Sweden, Paraguay up nextwww.cbssports.com

[DQ Eric]

Olise with five assists in the tournament is the numbers line that needs emphasising more. He is not just a creator, he is the creator of the tournament to date, and France are set up specifically to funnel the ball through him at the right moments