France have sent a signal to the rest of the World Cup contenders. Their round of 32 clash with Sweden at the New York New Jersey Stadium was supposed...
France have sent a signal to the rest of the World Cup contenders. Their round of 32 clash with Sweden at the New York New Jersey Stadium was supposed to be a test of nerve, a chance for the Swedes to sit deep and frustrate. Instead, it became a two act clinic from Kylian Mbappe, a player who now seems to be operating on a different plane to everyone else.From the first whistle, Sweden attempted to suffocate the space. They dropped into a low block, dared France to break them down, and for fifteen minutes it looked as if we might have a proper contest on our hands. But football has a way of punishing hesitation, and Sweden's reluctance to press higher up the pitch gifted the French midfield time to pick their passes. Antoine Griezmann, playing in the hole, found the gap between the lines with a ball that split the Swedish defence. Mbappe collected it on the turn, took one touch to set himself, and then smashed a clinical finish into the far corner. The goalkeeper didn't move. Why botherThe second goal was pure transitional play. Sweden won a corner, committed men forward, and paid the ultimate price. France broke with the speed of a counter attack that has become their trademark. Mbappe collected the ball just inside his own half, drove at a retreating defence, and fed it wide before continuing his run. The return pass was inch perfect. A dummy, a shift of weight, and then a low drive that beat the keeper at his near post. Game over. Sweden tried to rally, but they lacked the cutting edge to trouble a French backline that has grown increasingly confident. They had their moments, a header cleared off the line, a free kick that sailed just wide, but this was never really in doubt.So what does this tell us about France Tactical flexibility is the buzzword around their camp, but what we saw here was simply overwhelming individual quality. Didier Deschamps has built a side that can grind out a result, but when Mbappe is in this kind of mood, they don't need to grind anything. They can steamroll you. Sweden will look back and wonder what might have been if they had pressed higher or shown more ambition, but the reality is that they were outclassed by a player who is playing his best football at exactly the right time.The rest of the tournament has been warned. France are cruising, and Mbappe is the man behind the wheel.
