France emerges as World Cup contender despite semi-final loss

France has emerged as a major contender in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a dominant run. The team recently secured a 3-0 victory over Sweden in New Jersey, featuring goals from Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola. This win allowed France to become the first team in World Cup history to score three or more goals in five consecutive matches.

Kylian Mbappé has set new tournament records, finishing as the top scorer with 10 goals and becoming the all-time leader in World Cup goals with 22. Despite this individual success, France was eliminated in the semi-finals by Spain. Mbappé attributed the defeat to a failed game plan and the difficulty of playing against a possession-oriented team while trailing in the score.

Former defender Gary Neville noted that while France shows tactical dominance, Argentina remains the primary nation with the experience and mentality to potentially neutralize their attack.