Mbappé Equals Messi's World Cup Goal Tally as France Thrashes Sweden 3-0

France underlined their status as one of the strongest contenders for the FIFA World Cup 2026 title with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden , powered by another dazzling performance from Kylian Mbappé , who scored twice to equal Lionel Messi's tournament leading tally of six goals.

The emphatic win in East Rutherford secured France's place in the Round of 16 , where they will face Paraguay on July 4 , keeping alive their dream of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.

Mbappé once again proved why he is regarded as one of world football's biggest stars. The French captain opened the scoring just before halftime with a moment of brilliance, beating his marker with a clever move before calmly placing the ball into the far corner. He completed his brace in the 74th minute with another composed finish after a flowing team move, taking his World Cup tally to 18 career goals , just one behind Messi's all time record.

The two goals also saw Mbappé rewrite history. With 10 goals in World Cup knockout matches , he surpassed the previous record of eight jointly held by Brazilian legends Leonidas and Ronaldo , further strengthening his legacy on football's biggest stage.

Bradley Barcola doubled France's advantage in the 53rd minute after capitalising on excellent work from Michael Olise , whose creativity once again stood out. Olise finished the match with another two assists, taking his tournament total to five and continuing to play a vital role in France's impressive attacking campaign.

Despite playing in difficult conditions with temperatures touching 32 degrees Celsius , high humidity and poor air quality, France controlled the contest from start to finish. Didier Deschamps' men dominated possession, created chances at will and outshot Sweden 25-7 , including a commanding 15-3 advantage before halftime.

France had threatened long before the breakthrough. Mbappé struck the post in the 32nd minute, while Olise's spectacular bicycle kick also rattled the woodwork just minutes later. Sweden struggled to cope with the relentless French attack and rarely looked capable of mounting a comeback.

Mbappé's first goal sparked emotional celebrations as he embraced coach Deschamps, who had returned to the team after attending his mother's funeral in France. Later, when the star forward was substituted in the closing minutes, Deschamps acknowledged his performance with a respectful bow, drawing applause from the crowd.

The victory also highlighted France's overall strength throughout the tournament. Having now outscored opponents 13-2 , Les Bleus have combined defensive solidity with attacking brilliance, making them one of the favourites to lift the trophy.

France will now turn its attention to a knockout clash against Paraguay , with a place in the quarterfinals at stake. If they progress, they will face the winner of Canada versus Morocco , as Mbappé continues his pursuit of more World Cup history.