France’s Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring their side’s first goal in the course of the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near Recent York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
EAST RUTHERFORD, Recent Jersey — Kylian Mbappé and France are sizzling — and never simply because of MetLife Stadium’s broiling conditions.
Mbappé had his third two-goal game of this World Cup and set a profession scoring record for the tournament’s knockout rounds, leading Les Bleus over Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday to establish a round of 16 match against Paraguay.
“I personally haven’t seen a greater team,” Sweden coach Graham Potter said. “The standard they’ve all around the pitch after which the choices for them off the bench are very, very strong, in order that they’ve got pretty much as good a probability as anybody, I’d suggest.”
READ: World Cup: Messi, Mbappe, Haaland dazzle on same day
France’s 27-year-old star scored the go-ahead goal with a superb crossover step within the forty fifth minute and added his sixth goal of the tournament within the 74th to tie Lionel Messi for the tournament scoring lead. He has 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, one behind the Argentine’s profession scoring record of 19 in 29 matches.
In between, Bradley Barcola had a 53rd-minute goal for France, which became the primary nation to attain three or more goals in five consecutive World Cup matches.
“I’m very aware of who I’m, how I play, what I shall do, however it’s not nearly me,” Mbappé said through a translator. “Your entire team is aware of what ought to be done. It’s a brand new competition that has began today. We did play well, but we were timid. We could have done higher firstly.”
Mbappé’s 10 knockout round goals are two greater than the previous high by Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo.
France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when Mbappé got here to the bench after he was substituted within the eighty fifth minute.
READ: World Cup: Mbappe powers France past Iraq and into KO stage
“We’re on a mission — so am I with them,” Deschamps said through a translator.
France has outscored opponents 13-2. Michael Olise has five assists, probably the most in a World Cup since Germany’s Thomas Hassler had five in 1994.
“They’re expert at knowing when to alter the pace and increase it, when to own the ball, went to fall back,” Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said through a translator.
Searching for to succeed in its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia. The winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid on the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality at the positioning of the July 19 final. Many fans within the club areas stayed inside their air-conditioned suites.
READ: World Cup: Kylian Mbappe leads France to 3-1 win over Senegal
France outshot Sweden 25-7 in the primary World Cup meeting between the nations, including 15-3 in the primary half.
Mbappé hit a post within the thirty second minute, raising each hands in disgust, and France nearly went ahead 4 minutes in a while Olise’s spectacular bicycle kick from just contained in the penalty area, which also clanked off a post.
“I said I believe we wanted a few miracles. We had a pair, but we ran out of them,” Potter said. “So we wanted a couple of more.”
Mbappé scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise’s shot just outside the post.
Olise played a brief corner kick to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gyökeres and from just outside the 6-yard box sent a diagonal shot contained in the far post.
Mbappé ran up the middle of the sector to have a good time, colliding with Dembélé, and jogged to the bench to hug Deschamps, who returned for the match after going to France for his mother’s funeral.
READ: What’s offside? And all of your other questions, answered
“He knows that he won’t ever be alone with us, and we’ll support him,” Mbappé said.
Gustaf Lagerbielke lost the ball ahead of France’s second goal. Aurélien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a centering touch and sent the ball past Zetterström’s outstretched right hand.
Mbappé entertained the group with a backheel pass to Barcola within the buildup to France’s third goal, the 62nd of his international profession. Barcola passed to Olise, who sent the ball forward as Mbappé sprinted into the penalty area, took a touch and fired the ball contained in the far post.
“We proceed to deliver great performances,” Mbappé said.
A crowd of 80,663 raised the record total for the expanded 104-match tournament above 5 million. A majority of fans wore France’s blue, with a pocket in Sweden’s yellow at one end.
“I actually have no complaints to the players by any means. I said to them after the sport I don’t think it’s a disgrace to lose to France,” Potter said. “For us it’s about using this as a foundation to go forward and to be pleased with what we’ve done thus far.”
Speaking just after the ultimate whistle, Mbappé wasn’t quite able to turn his attention to Paraguay just yet.
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
“I’m looking forward to the changing room and the AC,” he said.