France’s rivals at this World Cup have more to worry about than the finishing quality of Didier Deschamps’ side.
The attacking force is obvious, but the togetherness inside this France squad may be just as important. That unity was clear during Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Sweden, a performance that sent Les Bleus into the last 16 and strengthened the sense that they are the team everyone else must catch.
After Kylian Mbappe scored a superb opening goal, he did not head straight to the corner or pause for his usual celebration. France’s captain ran towards the bench and embraced Deschamps.
The gesture carried extra meaning. The France head coach had only just returned to the dugout after travelling back home to attend his mother’s funeral. It was a deeply personal moment, and soon the rest of the squad joined Mbappe and Deschamps in a group celebration.
After several emotional days, Deschamps was smiling again as France delivered a commanding performance in the heavy New Jersey heat. The victory set up a last 16 meeting with Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday, 4 July at 22:00 BST.
Deschamps praised the character of his squad after the match. He said the group had stayed together and delivered even when he was away last week. He also made it clear that team spirit alone does not win matches, but without it, teams can easily lose them. For him, collective strength remains the foundation.
Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni echoed that feeling. He said the players know how difficult the recent period has been for their coach and are trying to give everything to make him happy.
Bradley Barcola scored France’s second goal before Mbappe struck again, moving level with Lionel Messi on six goals in the race for the Golden Boot.
Former England striker Ian Wright said France possess the kind of ability that opponents simply cannot contain. He described them as one of the clearest favourites he has seen at a World Cup.
Patrick Vieira, who won the tournament with France in 1998, went even further. He said Les Bleus had shown everyone that they are the side to beat.
It was hard to argue. Mbappe was clinical, Michael Olise added two more assists, taking his tournament total to five, and France became the first team to score at least three goals in five consecutive World Cup matches.
Inside the stadium, around 80,000 supporters watched a performance that raised the same question again and again. Can anyone stop this France team?
France attack leaves rivals searching for answers
Four years after the pain of losing the final to Argentina on penalties in Qatar, France look like a team determined to finish the job this time.
They were not perfect against Sweden. In fact, they wasted several chances and finished with 25 shots, their highest total in a World Cup match since 1998. Yet even with those missed opportunities, the numbers remain frightening for the rest of the tournament.
France have now scored 13 goals in four matches in the United States. Their individual attacking statistics are just as impressive.
Ousmane Dembele, the Ballon d’Or winner, has been involved in six goals, with four goals and two assists. Olise has five assists and almost added a spectacular goal of his own when an acrobatic attempt hit the post.
Then there is Mbappe. France have a captain at the peak of his powers, playing with sharpness, speed and ruthless calm in front of goal. He is level in the Golden Boot race and now has 18 World Cup goals in total. That leaves him just one behind Messi, the all time leading scorer in tournament history.
Mbappe has scored at least twice in seven different World Cup matches. No other player has managed that as often. His ability to decide games has become routine, but this tournament has shown again how difficult it is to defend against him when France’s other attackers are also in rhythm.
Former England defender Gary Neville said France played with precision and destructive force. He pointed to the front four of Mbappe, Dembele, Olise and Barcola as a unit that will cause problems for every defence left in the tournament.
Neville added that France appear to be operating at another level. Brazil needed a last minute goal, while Germany and the Netherlands have already gone out. In contrast, France used this knockout stage performance to show the rest of the field what the standard now looks like.
Sweden head coach Graham Potter also acknowledged the gap. He said there was no shame in losing to this France team and admitted he had not seen a better side at the tournament.
Olise becomes one of France’s key creators
Michael Olise’s rise has become one of the most interesting stories in this France team.
He began his football journey at Hayes & Yeading United when he was six years old. Eighteen years later, the former Crystal Palace player is influencing World Cup knockout matches for one of the strongest national teams in the game.
Born in Hammersmith to a Nigerian father and a French Algerian mother, Olise has become the first player since 1994 to provide five or more assists in a single World Cup.
Deschamps praised his impact after the win. He said Olise is playing top level football and has become a major influence in the squad. The coach also described him as the link between the forwards and the rest of the team.
Olise may be quiet off the pitch, but his football is anything but quiet. He gives France balance, imagination and timing between the lines. His delivery against Sweden created constant danger, and his understanding with Mbappe, Dembele and Barcola made France’s attacking play look smooth and unpredictable.
This is what makes the current France side so hard to plan against. Opponents cannot focus only on Mbappe. Dembele can score and create. Barcola attacks space aggressively. Olise finds passes others do not see. Tchouameni and the midfield give structure behind them.
The records are starting to pile up each time France play. Dembele and Mbappe have combined for six goals in this tournament in the United States. Dembele has assisted Mbappe four times, while Mbappe has returned the favour twice.
No duo has produced more goal combinations at a World Cup since records began in 1966.
Former Scotland striker Ally McCoist said France simply have a forward line full of superstars. He added that favourites do not always win tournaments, but France are favourites for a clear reason, and their display against Sweden showed why.
Deschamps asks for calm despite rising expectations
If France beat Paraguay, they will move into the quarter finals, where they would face either co hosts Canada or Morocco at Boston Stadium on Thursday, 9 July at 21:00 BST.
The route is now visible, but Deschamps is not interested in looking too far ahead.
Asked after the match whether France could go all the way, he urged people to slow down. He said there is always room for improvement and that not everything should be viewed as perfect.
That message matters. France were brilliant in moments against Sweden, but Deschamps still saw areas to correct. He felt his team started the match a little cautiously during the first 15 minutes and could have been more efficient in the first half.
For all the goals, assists and praise, France’s coach wants the group to stay grounded. They have reached the round of 16, but he reminded everyone that it is still only the round of 16.
That balance may be one of France’s greatest strengths. They have the attacking quality to overwhelm teams, the experience of players who have already lived major tournament pressure and a coach who understands how quickly momentum can change.
The emotional bond between Deschamps and his squad was visible in Mbappe’s celebration. The football quality was visible in the scoreline. Together, those two elements are making France look like the most complete team left in the competition.
For now, Paraguay are next. France will be expected to win, but Deschamps wants focus rather than noise. The rest of the tournament can wait. Les Bleus have already sent a message, but their coach knows the only message that truly matters is the next performance.
