France just put Sweden away 3-0 and punched their ticket to the World Cup round of 16. But the scoreline almost undersells what this team is doing. Didier Deschamps’ side has now scored 13 goals in four matches. That is not just good. That is historic.
The last team to hit that number through their first four World Cup games was Brazil in 2002. And we all know how that ended. Ronaldo lifting the trophy, fifth star on the jersey, the whole thing. France is chasing that same script.
Kylian Mbappé bagged another brace against Sweden, pushing his tournament total to six goals. Real Madrid got themselves a handful. Bradley Barcola chipped in one too, because why not spread the wealth. This French attack does not really have a weak link right now.
Brazil’s 2002 run started with a 2-1 squeaker against Turkey, then 4-0 over China, 5-2 against Costa Rica, and a 2-0 knockout of Belgium. France’s path looks similar in terms of volume. They are not just winning. They are steamrolling.
History Repeats Itself or France Writes Its Own Ending
Here is where it gets interesting. That Brazil team had lost the 1998 final to France. They won in 1994, lost in 1998, then came back and won it all in 2002. France won in 2018, lost the final in 2022, and now here they are with a roster that looks scarier than the one that lifted the trophy eight years ago.
The pattern is there. The question is whether France can close it out. They have the firepower. Mbappé looks unstoppable. The midfield controls games. The defense has only conceded once so far. But tournament football is weird. One bad half can end everything.
For now, France is doing something no team has done in 24 years. Sweden had no answer. Nobody has had an answer yet. The rest of the field should probably be paying attention.
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