France Dominates Sweden in World Cup Showdown

Didier Deschamps saw the clock tick towards 85 minutes, turned to his bench and finally allowed himself a little indulgence. Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise were withdrawn, their work long since done, their destruction of Sweden complete. As Mbappé trotted towards the touchline, Deschamps stepped forward, grinning, palms out, bowing in mock supplication.

It felt less like a substitution and more like a curtain call.

France had already ripped Sweden apart. The 3-0 scoreline flattered only the beaten. This was 3-0 masquerading as 6-0, a performance that crackled with such speed and clarity that Graham Potter, beaten and honest, later admitted Sweden would not have won “even if they had been perfect”.

France were nowhere near perfect. They were far too dangerous for that.

France announce themselves

From the start, the French attack moved like a storm front. Mbappé scored twice, at the end of sweeping moves that left Swedish defenders staring at empty grass. Bradley Barcola added the other. Olise, gliding between the lines, supplied two assists and almost stole the entire show with an outrageous overhead kick that crashed off the post, a few inches away from the goal of the tournament.

Both he and Mbappé hit the woodwork. Both looked like they were playing a different sport.

By the end, the question around this France is no longer whether they are contenders. It is what kind of legend they are chasing. Are they on course to be remembered like the 1970 Brazil side, who married beauty with the trophy? Or the 1982 Brazil team, who bewitched the world and then died suddenly, shockingly, at the hands of Italy?

For now, Deschamps, long caricatured as a dour pragmatist, can accept the apologies. From New York, Ken Early joined the queue to offer them, acknowledging that this supposedly functional France have produced the World Cup’s most intoxicating performance so far.

Mexico wake the Azteca

Hours later and thousands of miles away, the Azteca shuddered back into World Cup relevance. Mexico’s late-night meeting with Ecuador started an hour behind schedule, electrical storms rumbling around the stadium and delaying kick-off. Once the whistle finally went, it was Ecuador who were struck.

The atmosphere was ferocious, the kind of deep, echoing noise that only this old bowl can summon. Mexico fed off it. Teenager Gilberto Mora, the breakout name of the night, drove them forward with the fearlessness of someone too young to know the weight of history here.

They scored twice in the first half, Julián Quiñones on 22 minutes and Raúl Jiménez on 31, and never let Ecuador breathe. Mexico then did something they have not managed since they last hosted this tournament in 1986: they won a World Cup knockout match.

For Mexico, it felt like a generational moment. For England, watching from afar and preparing for DR Congo later today, it was a warning siren. Beat DR Congo and the prize is Mexico at the Azteca, with all the altitude, noise and memory that entails.

England have been told.

Norway’s old habit returns

If France supplied the swagger and Mexico the catharsis, Norway brought something more ominous: a familiar, nagging problem for Brazil.

Their tie with Ivory Coast swung wildly. Antonio Nusa gave Norway the lead on 39 minutes. Amad Diallo, brilliant and bold, dragged Ivory Coast level on 74 with a slaloming run and sharp finish that stood out even on a day of spectacular goals. That was the goal of the day, from rich pickings.

But the game still had one more lurch in it. With four minutes of normal time left, Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does. A late strike, the decisive blow in a 2-1 win, and Norway were off celebrating in their now-familiar Viking-rowboat routine, chests out, oars imaginary, rhythm relentless.

Next up: Brazil in the last 16.

Remarkably, Norway remain the only team to have faced Brazil and never lost. Two wins, two draws, four meetings, no defeats. It is a statistic that sits like a stone in Brazil’s shoe, and it just became relevant again.

Football, cats and a disappearing act

The Norway game also delivered the day’s strangest broadcast moment. Before Oscar Bobb slipped the pass that led to Haaland’s winner, he unwittingly triggered a memory in BBC co-commentator Danny Murphy.

“I used to have a cat called Bob,” Murphy mused on air. “He jumped in the back of a Royal Mail van and we lost him. Sad really. Anyway.”

Somewhere between Diallo’s elegance and Haaland’s ruthlessness, a lost cat entered the World Cup narrative. The Irish Times understands that the Murphy family now find “Postman Pat” a little too close to the bone.

Mbappé, Deschamps and a quiet embrace

Back in New York, another image lingered from France’s win over Sweden. After Mbappé’s first goal, he did not sprint to the corner flag or pose for the cameras. He made a beeline for his manager.

Deschamps, who had flown home last week to attend his mother’s funeral, met him on the touchline. It was a brief, human moment amid the French fireworks, a small gesture that cut through the noise.

On a day when France roared, that simple embrace might resonate longest inside their camp.

Elsewhere, the world keeps moving

This World Cup day ended with the sense of a tournament sharpening its teeth. France, Mexico and Norway all sent messages, each in their own register, each with a hint of menace for whoever comes next.

The schedule now tightens. England face DR Congo at 5pm Irish time on RTÉ2 and BBC. Belgium meet Senegal at 9pm on RTÉ2 and UTV. USA take on Bosnia and Herzegovina at 1am, again on RTÉ2 and BBC. Some teams rested while the augurs darkened around them.

Beyond football, Louth have reached the All-Ireland semi-finals for the first time since 1957, prompting Darragh O’Sé to strip them of the “underdog” tag. Rugby’s new Nations Championship begins this weekend, with Ireland opening against Australia. For Gordon D’Arcy, it is Ireland’s most valuable testing ground in two years, while Gerry Thornley, on the ground in Sydney, has been hearing from Hugo Keenan.

And the trivia that nagged at the day’s edge? Who has scored more World Cup goals: players called Müller or players called Ronaldo?

In a tournament suddenly alive with omens and echoes, even the names on the scoresheet feel like a history lesson waiting to be updated.