France, searching for their third title after 1998 and 2018, swept its group matches for the primary time since 1998, joined by Argentina and Mexico as the one nations to win all three video games. Sweden’s outcomes have been far and wide throughout group play and it completed third in Group F. Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1 within the opener earlier than dropping to the Netherlands 5-1 after which combating to a 1-1 draw with Japan.
Will the actual France, stuffed with attacking expertise, step up on huge stage
France’s Ousmane Dembele, proper, celebrates with Kylian Mbappe, heart, and different teammates after scoring his facet’s third objective through the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass., close to Boston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photograph/Martin Meissner)
Frightfully ample in attacking expertise throughout a interval that has the makings of a dynasty however is peppered with the lack to win a slew of main trophies, France might have been the Brazil of 1958-70.
The South American giants carved out a legacy falling solely as soon as, to the Italians, in a 12-year cycle of dominance constructed by an meeting line of home expertise lining up behind the mercurial Pele. As France head coach Didier Deschamps’ prepares for his swansong, his expenses have to point out they know get the job finished.
Kylian Mbappe is now 27 and France’s main man. Captain, central striker, bereft of any defensive obligations, the Frenchman is the place he want to be. The final visible of him from a World Cup was certainly one of singularity: three objectives in 120+ minutes of soccer, adopted by certainly one of three within the penalty shootout within the 2022 last in opposition to Argentina.
Mbappe joined Geoff Hurst as scorers of hat-tricks in a last, however got here out on the improper finish of the consequence.
Qatar would perpetually be a scar.
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