France reached the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Sweden, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to continue his impressive tournament.
The brace took Mbappé’s tally to six goals and two assists in four matches, while his 18th World Cup goal moved him within one of Lionel Messi’s total of 19.
Michael Olise also starred, providing his fifth assist of the tournament, the most by any player at the 2026 World Cup.
After the match, Mbappé said the team’s unity remains its greatest strength, referring to his celebration with head coach Didier Deschamps.
“The hug with Deschamps after the goal? That’s the DNA of this group.”
He also backed the France coach, saying,
“The coach has been through certain circumstances, and we’re all with him and will continue to support him.”
Despite leading the race for the Golden Boot with Messi, Mbappé said he is not thinking about the award.
“I am not looking at the top scorer rankings also, I am convinced that Leo Messi will score even more goals.”
France remain in contention for a third World Cup title, while Mbappé continues to edge closer to another World Cup scoring milestone.
