Since the first World Cup in 1930, France and Sweden have consistently been present at this major tournament. Les Bleus have played 76 World Cup matches, while the Scandinavian team has played 54.
Both teams have produced golden generations and left their mark on the tournament's history. However, somehow, they always manage to avoid each other in the World Cup finals, as if playing a game of "cat and mouse".
In 1994, at the World Cup held in the USA, Sweden achieved a resounding 4-0 victory over Bulgaria, the team that had dramatically eliminated Les Bleus from the finals in the qualifying rounds. While France reached the finals in 1998, 2006, 2018, and 2022, Sweden participated twice – in 2006 and 2018 – but were in different brackets.
They hadn't met at the World Cup in almost a century, but that doesn't mean the two teams are strangers to each other. They still clash in European competitions. France drew 1-1 with Sweden in the group stage of UEFA EURO 1992, when Sweden played at home.
Twenty years later, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a stunning overhead kick in a 2-0 victory in the group stage of EURO 2012. More recently, they met in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, with each team winning 2-1 at home.
At the 2026 World Cup, France displayed formidable form, with three wins and 10 goals in the group stage, solidifying their position among the title contenders. Conversely, Sweden had a more difficult time, advancing to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams.
Coach Didier Deschamps warned his players not to be complacent, and Sweden knew what to do to make things difficult for France. Star player Sebastian Larsson, now a member of Graham Potter's coaching staff, scored the second goal against France in their EURO 2012 victory.
"If you look at our history, we've beaten stronger teams before. Even though the opponent is France, there's still reason to believe. And hopefully the players feel the same way," former Sweden star Larsson told Reuters .
Legendary striker Ibrahimovic commented on France before the match: "I don't see many teams capable of beating them. The French team is playing at a different level."
After nearly a century of near misses at the World Cup, the long-awaited moment has finally arrived. France and Sweden will meet on the biggest stage in world football.
In theory, France is the stronger team, but look at the defeats of Germany and the Netherlands; anything can happen. Football rarely follows a script – and sometimes, the underdog can unexpectedly bring down the giant.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/phap-doi-dau-thuy-dien-gan-1-the-ky-cho-doi.html
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