France are through to the Round of 16 at the World Cup and, as we write these lines, you have to wonder who can stop them. On Tuesday night, Les Bleus grew into the game - especially after a first half where the ball just wouldn’t go in - and steamrolled a Sweden side that was completely overwhelmed.
"When it comes to his starting 11, Deschamps didn’t just pick the best 11 - he only has top players in the French squad anyway - but rather the 11 who seemed best suited for this particular match. And you can feel it right away: there’s chemistry, everyone knows their role, and offensively, there’s much more fluidity. We already said it last time: as soon as he put Olise back in the number 10 role and moved (Ousmane) Dembele to the right," explains Flashscore expert and former France international Guillaume Hoarau.
Calm, assured, and confident: that’s the vibe coming from the French team ahead of their clash with Paraguay on Saturday at 23:00 CET in Philadelphia. This squad is clearly gaining momentum, and the further they go, the more you feel it’s going to be tough to stop them.
Mental strength overcame superstition
Yet, when Kylian Mbappe, Dembele, Olise and Bradley Barcola kept creating chances, hitting the post twice, grazing it three or four more times, and with Swedish keeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom starting to make some saves, many thought it was a bad omen.
"When you’re dominating but not scoring, we all know that feeling - even yesterday, at one point," adds Hoarau.
"I was saying: all it takes is one counter, you concede, and suddenly there’s pressure. But not this French team, because they have such mental strength. They have top players.
"When Mbappe hits the post, Olise steps up. When he hits the post, you’ve got Ousmane on the other side. That’s the thing: at any moment, someone brings that confidence, that positive mentality, which keeps lifting the team. No one drops their head, because there’s always someone ready to take over."
Mbappe’s goal in the 45th minute came at the perfect time, right before the break - just what was needed to approach the second half with more composure. The kind of moment that settles nerves after 45 hectic minutes.
"Yesterday, of course, they got a bit frustrated when the ball wouldn’t go in. But you see them, the very next play: they come back, they try again, they push, they want it. It’s like, to use a metaphor, they put you on the ropes and, until you’re knocked out, they keep hitting...
"In the end, this is a team with a plan, and they don’t stop until it pays off. And behind them, you have a coach on the bench who also looks calm, even if he lives the match with his emotions. But when you have that much potential, that much firepower, honestly, you can take on anything," explains Hoarau.
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Olise 'always makes the right decision'
When the team is clicking, and the stars are delivering, like Mbappe - who scored his 17th and 18th World Cup goals, closing in on Leo Messi - you can’t help but feel good.
But it was especially Olise who impressed against Sweden. Playing a complete game in his new 'number 10 role', with two assists, the number 11 for Les Bleus is the glue of this team, the one who makes the attack tick. According to Hoarau, he’s the kind of player who makes fans want to tune in for a match at 11 p.m., just to watch his football.
"Michael Olise? Honestly, I just want to say: give him the Ballon d’Or. I don’t care, the Golden Boot, the Golden Record, anything golden, just give it all to him. Because once again, he showed why he’s indispensable. We’re getting excited, and he gets you excited: bicycle kicks, technical skills...
"But what really stands out to me is his ability to always make the right decision," our expert points out.
"And that’s when you realise: this guy doesn’t play for stats, he plays to move the team forward. Even when he beats a man, he creates space, draws defenders, opens up opportunities for others. Last night, he made the right passes, set up goals - he’s decisive, even when he doesn’t score. So, clearly, he’s the player who brings the most creativity to this French team.
"I told myself today, I’m rushing home to watch the match because Olise is playing. And I think if Olise is on the bench, if I have to cook, I can just have the TV on in the background; it doesn’t bother me - but if he’s playing, I want to watch. So, as a fan, as a viewer, this guy makes me love the game.
"So, anything golden, guys, please, give it to him."
Room for improvement? Handling 'tough spells'
Winning with style means managing not just the strong spells, but especially the tough ones. Last night, when France didn’t have the ball and needed to tighten up, Les Bleus sometimes found themselves in tricky situations.
In the first half, Anthony Elanga caused problems for Lucas Digne in a few duels, creating two or three dangerous moments at the back. The defence also let their opponents break through with a few passes in the second half, but the Swedish attackers lacked composure to capitalise.
France finished with a clean sheet, but it’s fair to wonder what will happen when they face a much sharper team, as Hoarau explains: "There’s one area where France can improve. I don’t want to say the defence; I’d rather say the team’s weak moments. Sometimes, you feel the back line drops a bit too quickly, and the spacing between players isn’t always perfect.
"If France comes up against a team that’s much more dangerous on the counter, it could hurt. For now, they’ve adapted to the opponents they’ve faced - you have to win the games - but for me, it’s not world-class just yet.
"If there’s one issue, it could be those tough spells. But for now, they’re handling them well, since it’s still a clean sheet.
"We know these tough moments: it’s about coordination, about staying focused for 90 minutes. So far, it hasn’t cost them; they’ve managed to compensate."
