France vs Sweden: Top five players to watch out for in FIFA World Cup 2026 ft. Kylian Mbappe and Alexander Isak

The last game between these two teams ended in a 4-2 win for France.

After the successful conclusion of the group stages, the FIFA World Cup has finally entered its knockout stage. For the first time in history, qualified nations will compete in a Round of 32 to filter out the top 16 teams of the competition. One of the headline fixtures of this stage will be an encounter between France and Sweden.

Under the tutelage of Didier Deschamps, France has been utterly dominant in the last two iterations of the competition. They defeated Croatia in 2018 to win their second-ever FIFA World Cup and only lost the final on penalties against Argentina in 2022. In the ongoing tournament, France have also won all of their group stage fixtures as they defeated the likes of Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. They are one of the favourites to win the World Cup yet again.

Sweden, on the other hand, had a rather interesting path to the World Cup. They finished dead last in their qualifying group, but due to their previous UEFA Nations League success, they were given a spot in the play-offs. Sweden then defeated Ukraine and Poland to book their place in the biggest sporting event in the world. They won their opening game against Tunisia but lost and drew against the Netherlands and Japan, respectively, in the next two games.

In this article, we will take a look at some key players from both sides who are expected to step up in this clash.

5. Lucas Bergvall (Sweden)

Tottenham Hotspur had a disastrous season as they almost got relegated from the Premier League. However, the emergence of Lucas Bergvall was one of the few positives for them this past season. At just 20, Lucas Bergvall is one of the best young midfielders in the world. He is versatile and can play both as a central and a defensive midfielder. He is also very creative and executes audacious passes when an opportunity arises.

4. Dayot Upamecano (France)

The resurgence of Dayot Upamecano in recent years has been inspiring. His performance against Iraq was arguably the best performance by a defender at this World Cup. He is a perfect blend of elite technical ability and supreme physicality. He effectively plays long balls and helps France in getting the ball to the final third as soon as possible. He has the pace to cover up spaces behind and defends brilliantly in one-on-one situations.

3. Alexander Isak (Sweden)

Despite having a season plagued by injuries, Alexander Isak has already made an impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Sweden. With a goal and three assists, Alexander Isak is one of the most productive attackers in the competition. He’s very agile despite his tall build, and his technical brilliance is out of this world. He is excellent in closed spaces as well and completes high volumes of take-ons frequently. Along with all this, he is also very quick on and off the ball and just glides past his Defenders. Isak is also a clinical finisher, and he’ll have to display all of his abilities if Sweden wants to take down France.

2. Ousmane Dembélé (France)

Ousmane Dembélé scored an excellent hat-trick against Norway in France’s last game to become their joint top goalscorer in this competition. He is the reigning Ballon d’Or winner and has even won his second consecutive UEFA Champions League title with PSG. His blistering pace and ability to utilize both feet effectively make him a threatening presence on the wings and centrally. He is also very creative and hardworking on the ball, which makes him a complete attacker.

1. Kylian Mbappe (France)

Topping our list without any surprise is Kylian Mbappe. He is arguably the best performer of the last two World Cups and has already cemented his legacy in the competition’s history. He has found the back of the net four times already this time around, as well, and will be eager to make a difference against Sweden as well. He is explosive on the ball, and his ability to create a separation with his marker in closed spaces makes him one of the most feared striker in world football. Sweden’s defense have been disappointing in this campaign, and Kylian Mbappe will certainly cause them problems.

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