France's attacking trio of Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé have been a revelation at the 2026 World Cup, scoring 13 goals in four matches—just one fewer than their entire 2018 campaign. Under manager Didier Deschamps, who will step down after the tournament, France has shifted from a rigid, conservative style to a fluid, player-led system that has overwhelmed opponents.
Radical Transformation Under Deschamps
In his 14 years in charge, Deschamps built disciplined, defensive teams that engineered victories through control rather than flair. That approach yielded a Euro 2016 final, a 2018 World Cup title, and a penalty shootout loss in the 2022 final. Now, in his final tournament, Deschamps has ceded control to his stars, particularly Mbappé, Olise, and Dembélé. The trio have been working out a system on the fly, with Olise thriving underneath Mbappé, who has embraced the lone striker role he long resisted. Full-back Jules Koundé has been utilized through underlapping runs from right back.
“We have our weapons,” substitute Malo Gusto said after France's 3-0 victory over Sweden in the last 32. “We showed that tonight.”
Dominance Over Sweden
On a sweltering New Jersey afternoon with kickoff temperatures reaching 93°F (34°C), France utterly dominated Sweden. Les Bleus scored three goals but could have added more, choosing to conserve energy. Mbappé opened the scoring in the first half after a disallowed goal earlier, curling home after beating two defenders. In the 53rd minute, Olise threaded a through ball between Gustaf Lagerbielke's legs to Bradley Barcola for 2-0. In the 74th minute, Olise played Mbappé through with an immaculate pass to make it 3-0, putting Mbappé level with Lionel Messi atop the tournament's scoring charts.
“We’re going to score more,” Mbappé said.
Olise's Impact Praised
Olise, who also hit the post with a bicycle kick, drew praise from Deschamps: “Michael is playing top-notch football. When he has the ball, it’s very good. He is an introvert, but not on the field.” Gusto summed up Olise's performance with one word: “Magnifique.”
France's 13 goals in four matches underscore their attacking potency. The team has looked untouchable, scoring at least three goals in each game and seemingly capable of more. Deschamps, who lost his mother last week, has allowed his stars to run the show, and the results speak for themselves.
