Swedish press dreads 'nightmarish' France as injury-hit Sweden readies for World Cup round of 16
After France dismantled Norway 4-1, Swedish media and icons from Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Vicki Blommé have voiced alarm at an attack described as the best in 20 years. Sweden enters Tuesday's last-16 match with defensive injuries and little optimism.
France's attacking display
France's forward unit scored all ten group-stage goals, with Kylian Mbappé and Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembélé each netting four times, while Bradley Barcola and Désiré Doué added one apiece. Mbappé and Michael Olise each provided three assists, with Dembélé and Barcola chipping in one each. The depth is extraordinary: Rayan Cherki, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marcus Thuram offer further quality from the bench, leading Swedish paper Aftonbladet to call the squad even more talented than the 1998 and 2018 world champion sides.
- Kylian Mbappé
- 4
- Ousmane Dembélé
- 4
- Bradley Barcola
- 1
- Désiré Doué
- 1
Swedish alarm and injuries
Swedish daily Aftonbladet compared the French front line to Brazil's 2002 attacking trio of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, and warned that Sweden must "stop the unstoppable." The SVT4 panel described the prospect as "nightmarish," with former player Vicki Blommé adding that everyone who watches France is worried for Sweden.
We are heading to New Jersey to play against the best international attack in the last twenty years. Dembélé has won the Ballon d'Or. Mbappé will win it sooner or later. Olise might win it as early as this year.
Sweden's own form has been patchy: a deceptive 5-1 opening win over Tunisia, a heavy 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands, and a lacklustre 1-1 draw with Japan. Their defense has conceded ten goals and lost central defender Isak Hien for the tournament with a hamstring injury; 20-year-old Lucas Bergvall is expected to fill in. Coach Graham Potter conceded his side will be the underdog but pledged to fight.
We'll be the outsider, obviously, given where we come from and what we've achieved. But it's already very good to be here and we'll be ready, we'll fight, we'll do our best.
Legend's verdict
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the most-capped Swedish player and now a pundit, gave a blunt assessment on Fox News.
I don't see many teams capable of beating them. The only chance for an opponent is when they relax and switch off. They are favorites to win the World Cup.
He also praised Dembélé's hat-trick against Norway, noting how the forward controlled the tempo and took responsibility.
Match details
The round of 16 fixture will kick off at 23:00 on Tuesday 30 June at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. France enter the knockouts as group winners, while Sweden scraped through as a third-place qualifier via playoffs. With the French attack firing on all cylinders and Sweden's defensive frailties exposed, the contest looks heavily tilted.
