France, one of the World Cup favorites, starts its knockout stage campaign in a Round of 32 match against Sweden on Tuesday in New Jersey. The French squad, initially listed at +500 odds to win the tournament alongside Spain, demonstrated its contender status by securing maximum points in Group I, with decisive victories over Senegal, Iraq, and Norway.
During the group stage, France averaged over three goals per game, led by the offensive contributions of Kylian Mbappé and Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé. The team's attacking depth is further bolstered by playmakers Michael Olise, who leads the team in assists, and Désiré Doué, who scored his first World Cup goal against Norway. France is motivated to reach the final after finishing as runners-up in 2022, and anything less than a deep run is considered a disappointment.
Sweden advanced to the knockout stage with a 1-1-1 record in Group F. After an opening 5-1 win against Tunisia, the team suffered a significant 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands before securing its spot among the top third-placed teams with a draw against Japan. Despite the team's defensive struggles, which saw them concede seven goals in the group stage, Sweden's attack has shown capability, with Yasin Ayari and Anthony Elanga each scoring two goals, and Viktor Gyökeres providing a team-high two assists. However, France's potent offense, which generated an average of 3.33 expected goals per outing, is expected to pose a significant challenge to Sweden's defense.
France is favored to advance, with odds at -800 to qualify for the Round of 16 and -275 on the three-way moneyline. Analysts predict France will continue its scoring form, having found the net in both halves of each group stage victory. Mbappé is also a focal point, with expectations that he will score, further solidifying his position in the race for the Golden Boot.