As the World Cup reaches the knockout stage, France will take on Sweden in a highly anticipated match set to begin at midnight. This encounter is regarded as one of the standout fixtures in this round of the tournament.
The winner of this match will advance to face Paraguay, a team that made headlines by eliminating Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout earlier in the day after a 1-1 draw following extra time.
France, the reigning vice-champion, has entered this match as the favorite, having completed the group stage with an impressive record of three consecutive victories. In contrast, Sweden’s journey has been more erratic, progressing from third place in Group F with a total of four points.
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Starting Lineups: France vs Sweden
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Olise, Barcola; Mbappé (cpt.). Substitutes: Samba, Risser, Akliouche, Cherki, Doue, Gusto, L. Hernandez, T. Hernandez, Kanté, Konaté, Kone, Lacroix, Mateta, Thuram, Zaire-Emery. Head Coach: Didier Deschamps.
Sweden (3-4-2-1): Widell Zetterstorm; Lagerbielke, Lindelöf (cpt.), Gudmundsson; Svensson, Ayari, Bergvall, Stroud; Elanga, Isak; Gyökeres. Substitutes: V. Johansson, Nordfeldt, T. Ali, Bernahrdsson, Ekdal, H. Johannson, Karlström, Nilsson, Nygren, Sema, E. Smith, Starfelt, Svanberg, Zeneli. Head Coach: Graham Potter.
Venue: New York/New Jersey Stadium
Referee: Danny Makkelie
France Favored Against Sweden in World Cup Knockout Stage
France has concluded the group stage as the best team in the tournament, maintaining a perfect record and the highest goal difference. Conversely, Sweden secured its place in the knockout rounds after finishing third in its group, benefiting from being one of the top third-placed teams.
The French started their campaign with a decisive 3-1 victory over Senegal, followed by a dominant 3-0 win against Iraq, and finished with a resounding 4-1 victory over Norway, where Ousmane Dembélé scored a hat trick and Kylian Mbappé also found the net.
On the other hand, Sweden began the tournament with an impressive 5-1 win over Tunisia but suffered a setback with a 5-1 loss to the Netherlands. They concluded the group stage with a 1-1 draw against Japan.
“The first competition has ended. But there is a second one. For those of you who have already played in a World Cup, everything changes there. It’s the same competition, but it’s a different one. Every match could be the last.” – Didier Deschamps, France’s Head Coach
“We are aware of the interesting challenge ahead of us. We need to play the match of our lives, clearly. The boys are capable of doing that. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There is nothing better. It’s very exciting, which is why we are here.” – Graham Potter, Sweden’s Head Coach
