Didier Deschamps Bows To Kylian Mbappe After France Captains Sweden Masterclass

The France captain looked in complete control against Sweden, scoring twice in a commanding 3-0 victory that secured Les Bleus a place in the Round of 16. His latest brace underlined once again why he thrives in World Cup football, with the knockout stages bringing out some of his finest performances. The two goals took Mbappe's overall World Cup tally to 18, leaving him just one behind Lionel Messi's record of 19. They also lifted him to six goals in the 2026 tournament, drawing him level with the Argentina captain in the race for the Golden Boot. With every game, Mbappe continues to strengthen his remarkable World Cup record while leading France's charge for another global crown.

Mbappe broke the deadlock just before half-time with a trademark finish, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful strike into the far corner in the 45th minute. He completed his brace in the 74th minute after latching on to another perfectly weighted pass from Michael Olise. Timing his run to beat the offside trap, the France captain calmly curled a first-time effort beyond the goalkeeper to put the result beyond doubt and seal another commanding victory for Les Bleus.

Mbappe's night came to an end in the 85th minute when Didier Deschamps replaced him with Jean-Philippe Mateta. As the France captain walked off after another outstanding display, Deschamps acknowledged his performance with a memorable gesture. The France coach bowed towards Mbappe on the touchline in appreciation of his match-winning display, a fitting tribute to the influence his captain had against Sweden.

Meanwhile, Deschamps felt the scoreline could have been even more emphatic after his side squandered a string of first-half chances.

"We did what we had to do, even if we were a little timid in the opening 15 minutes," he told a press conference.

"After that, we showed our ability to create chances. The only regret is that we weren't clinical enough in the first half. We could have put the game to bed earlier, but we made them run so much that it became easier after the break."

Deschamps was pleased that his team had come through the opening knockout hurdle comfortably but warned that tougher tests lay ahead.

"The knockout stage is difficult for everyone, even if we made things a little easier for ourselves today. We're only in the last 16," he said.