The French national football team advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday after defeating Sweden 3-0 in their Round of 32 knockout match, setting an all-time tournament record in the process. With the victory, France became the first nation in World Cup history to achieve seven consecutive wins against fellow European (UEFA) opponents.
Striker Kylian Mbappe led the clinical performance, scoring twice to anchor the French offense, while winger Bradley Barcola netted the third goal to secure the clean sheet. The dominant defensive and attacking display ensures manager Didier Deschamps’ squad remains in contention for the global title.
The historic seven-game winning streak against European sides initially began during France’s championship run at the 2018 World Cup with consecutive victories over Belgium and Croatia. The record extended through the 2022 tournament in Qatar via triumphs against Denmark, Poland, and England, before culminating in the current 2026 edition with a 4-1 group-stage defeat of Norway and Tuesday’s knockout win over Sweden.
France now advances to the tournament’s next phase, while Sweden concludes its World Cup campaign.
