France dismantled Sweden 3-0 at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Wednesday, punching their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, officially shattering the all-time tournament record for knockout stage goals in the process.
The match concluded just moments ago, but the French side asserted their dominance early. Mbappé opened the scoring in the 45th minute, sliding a critical goal past the Swedish defense right before the half. The French captain found the net again in the 74th minute, securing the all-time knockout record and pushing the game completely out of reach for Sweden.
Bradley Barcola delivered the second blow in the 53rd minute. But the real engine behind that strike was Michael Olise. The Bayern Munich winger put on an absolute playmaking clinic. He set up Barcola perfectly and nearly brought the entire stadium down with a spectacular bicycle kick that violently rattled the post, a sequence highlighted in the latest player ratings by Goal.
France now turns their attention to the Round of 16. They draw Paraguay next. That South American squad is flying high after pulling off a shocking penalty shootout victory over Germany earlier in the knockout bracket.
The upcoming clash carries extra weight for the French captain. Mbappé’s brace brings his 2026 tournament total to six goals, officially tying Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot lead. France looks firmly established as a tournament favorite as the field narrows.