All posts tagged: France vs Sweden world cup 2026

Four teams, 4 plans, 1 result: How France keep winning at this FIFA World Cup | Football News

Four teams, 4 plans, 1 result: How France keep winning at this FIFA World Cup | Football News

4 min readJul 11, 2026 06:00 AM IST France’s clash against Morocco was billed as the game of the quarterfinals. One that put a congregation of attacking talent that the French have pieced together against Morocco’s unending stamina. Instead, Boston, in its final game of the World Cup, witnessed yet another canter by the French to the finish line. It has been the story of this World Cup – different teams attempting their own spin in solving the French puzzle – each has failed at varying degrees. Senegal show glimpses The only sustained period of trouble that the French have faced in the tournament so far has been the first half of their opener against Senegal. The defending African Cup of Nations champions were incredibly organised and keen on physically imposing themselves on the French front four. They didn’t cede the possession battle to Didier Deschamps’ men and were competing on a level footing. But it all changed when Michael Olise switched from the right wing to the centre of the pitch and the devastating …

The science and art of France’s beautiful game against Sweden

The science and art of France’s beautiful game against Sweden

The frightening part of France’s ceaseless waves of attack is the nonchalance with which they come. Metrics of dominance and momentum shifts do not apply to a team which has yet to get out of second gear at the World Cup. Le Bleus average three goals a game with a front four of Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola while being 44th out of 48 teams when it comes to distance run per game. Their conquests have come with minimum effort. Against Sweden, the quartet gobbled up a knockout game at a World Cup as more of a test drive than a high-stakes match which could have dire consequences. 18th minute: Barcola unleashes the first real French shot, one that flies over the bar. But the run that started on the left wing, sneaking its way to the centre, followed by a deft drop of a shoulder to flummox two Swedish guards, and the left-footer that was the precursor to what was about to happen for the rest of the match. Barcola …

FIFA World Cup: Kylian Mbappe, France make it Didier Deschamps’ night | Football News

FIFA World Cup: Kylian Mbappe, France make it Didier Deschamps’ night | Football News

A blue cloth with flowers embroidered on its side greeted France manager Didier Deschamps, returning from his mother’s death, into the Metlife Arena. The message was simple but touching: “Didier, we are with you.” The emcee stopped the hip-hop song blasting from the loudspeakers. The players performed their warm-up drills without the usual frolics, but with an unusual sombreness. After the national anthem was rendered, the French fans chorused: “C’est vous, Didi!” You are the man. The understated French manager would be the man of the evening, although Kylian Mbappe nailed two goals of artful precision, Bradley Barcola exhibited his velvet feet with a goal cut from silk, and his flying Les Bleu eviscerated Sweden’s iron-willed defence (3-0). The signs are sinister and fatalistic for teams destined to stumble into them, shepherded by a manager that walks without aura or vanity. The arena was so emotionally charged that Deschamps eventually broke down. He shed a tear when he staggered to the tunnel. The face of calm creaked, touched by a moment that showed how much …

France vs Sweden FIFA World Cup 2026 Match LIVE Updates: Mbappe resumes Golden Boot chase | Football News

France vs Sweden FIFA World Cup 2026 Match LIVE Updates: Mbappe resumes Golden Boot chase | Football News

France, seeking their third title after 1998 and 2018, swept its group matches for the first time since 1998, joined by Argentina and Mexico as the only nations to win all three games. Sweden’s results were all over the place during group play and it finished third in Group F. Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1 in the opener before losing to the Netherlands 5-1 and then fighting to a 1-1 draw with Japan. Will the real France, full of attacking talent, step up on big stage France’s Ousmane Dembele, right, celebrates with Kylian Mbappe, center, and other teammates after scoring his side’s third goal during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) Frightfully abundant in attacking talent during a period that has the makings of a dynasty but is peppered with the inability to win a slew of major trophies, France could have been the Brazil of 1958-70. The South American giants carved out a legacy falling only once, to …