France booked their place in the World Cup last 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden on Tuesday, a result that never looked in doubt once Kylian Mbappé found his rhythm in East Rutherford.
Mbappé struck twice, netting in the 45th and 74th minutes, with his goals sandwiching Bradley Barcola’s second-half finish. The French were the sharper side for long stretches, defending patiently and looking dangerous every time they broke forward. Sweden had spells of possession, but rarely threatened to convert it into clear chances.
The two goals took Mbappé’s career World Cup tally to 18, leaving him just one behind Lionel Messi’s record of 19. With six goals in this tournament alone, he now sits level with Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, a subplot that will only sharpen as France progress. Les Bleus now turn their attention to Paraguay, who await them in Saturday’s next round.
Elsewhere, Mexico secured their own passage into the knockouts with a 2-0 win over Ecuador at the Estadio Azteca. Julian Quiñones and Raul Jimenez were the scorers, and El Tri will now face either the Democratic Republic of Congo or England at the same venue on Sunday for a quarter-final spot.
Attention now turns to Seattle, where Belgium meet Senegal on Wednesday night at Lumen Field in a straight knockout tie. Rudi Garcia’s Belgium arrive on the back of a 16-game unbeaten run and topped Group G after a campaign of one win and two draws. Garcia has spoken of his satisfaction with the group stage but made clear his side want more. Senegal, meanwhile, will look to carry forward the momentum of a 5-0 demolition of Iraq in their final group game, though the fitness of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy remains a doubt.
Away from the pitch, the tournament closed a difficult chapter for Iran, whose squad departed North America on Tuesday after a campaign defined as much by tension with US officials as by moments of real quality. Three draws in the group stage left their fate in the hands of the Algeria-Austria fixture, and it was not enough. The players now return to a country still gripped by unresolved conflict with Israel and the United States, though their supporters insist the campaign still meant something as the team’s run gave people a sense of hope even in defeat.
