Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

France Beats Sweden 3-0, Mbappé Hits 18 World Cup Goals

7/1/2026

50 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

France beat Sweden 3-0 in the round of 32 at MetLife Stadium, advancing to face Paraguay.
Mbappé’s two goals lifted his World Cup tally to 18, one behind Lionel Messi, and led him to hug coach Didier Deschamps, sparking a team hug.
France have scored at least three goals in each of four games, kept three clean sheets, while defenders Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba have allowed only one goal in 270 minutes.

History

Historical Context

France’s first World Cup triumph came on 12 July 1998, when Zinedine Zidane’s two headers helped the hosts defeat Brazil 3-0 at the Stade de France. That victory began a pattern of high-scoring, defensively disciplined French sides, a legacy echoed when Kylian Mbappé scored twice against Sweden in the 2022 knockout round, reinforcing expectations for another deep run under Didier Deschamps.

1 of 2

Story summary

France beat Sweden 3-0 in the round of 32 at MetLife Stadium, advancing to face Paraguay.
Mbappé’s two goals lifted his World Cup tally to 18, one behind Lionel Messi, and led him to hug coach Didier Deschamps, sparking a team hug.
France have scored at least three goals in each of four games, kept three clean sheets, while defenders Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba have allowed only one goal in 270 minutes.

1 / 2