Mbappe joins Messi in golden boot race with a brace as France eliminate Sweden

Really, how long can any defence keep Kylian Mbappe silent? Once he hit the post, and once the offside flag was raised after he outpaced a rigid defensive line and placed one in a corner, as Sweden frustrated France for 45 minutes in the round of 32 clash in New Jersey.

That was before an opening emerged toward the end of the first half. For most good players, it was a half-chance, but for Mbappe that was a sure chance to break the deadlock. He had slipped past a few Swedes from a quickly taken short corner before sharply cutting onto his right and firing into the far end. France were ruthless from that point and might wonder how it ended just 3-0.

Mbappe's opener was the kind that answers a certain question – what makes some players great? In a team full of superstars, in which the likes of Rayan Cherki and Desire Doue often remain on the bench, Mbappe being the difference-maker almost with regularity is no fluke.

His second goal of the match, which was scored in the 74th minute, came from an inch-perfect pass from Olise. Mbappe had already anticipated the ball, was shaped to shoot and shoot he did, past a poor Zetterstrom. It was France's third on the night and Mbappe's sixth of the tournament, drawing him level with Lionel Messi.

He was substituted off in the 85th minute for Jean-Philippe Mateta, which means he ended the match just one goal behind Messi's World Cup record tally of 19.

France had doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute with the incredibly talented Olise unlocking the Swedish defence with a subtle nutmeg that released Barcola, who fired into a welcoming net. It was the insurance Didier Deschamps needed to avoid the trouble the likes of Germany and the Netherlands faced in their round of 32 matches that ended level at the end of extra time before finishing in heartbreak after penalties.

In the first half, the pre-tournament favourites did not have chances flowing as they did against a second-string Norwegian side in their final group match. Yet they manufactured moments that simply did not end up in the back of the net. Ousmane Dembele and Barcola shuffled across in their bid to confuse a five-man Swedish defence.

Luck, it must be said, did not go in their favour on most occasions, as after Mbappe smashed a post with Zetterstrom out of position, Olise rattled the upright on the opposite end with an overhead kick after the first hydration break.

The Swedes had Lucas Bergvall in midfield, and the young Spurs man matched the class of Adrian Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni for a short while. But their lethal frontmen were not quite effective in front of the goal. Sweden were the underdogs, but they could not replicate the success of Paraguay, which sent the Germans home.

France will play Paraguay in the round of 16 in Philadelphia on July 5.