France secured a place in the World Cup round of 16 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden on Wednesday, a performance marked by the team’s solidarity following the recent loss suffered by their coach, Didier Deschamps. The win, achieved in New Jersey, featured two goals from Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, bringing his tournament tally to six and his overall World Cup goals to 18 ahead of France’s upcoming match against Paraguay.

Mbappe’s late first-half goal set the tone for the match and was immediately followed by an emotional embrace with Deschamps, who had returned to the United States after a brief trip to France to attend his mother’s funeral. Speaking to French broadcaster beIN Sports, Mbappe highlighted the unity within the team during this difficult time. “We know the coach has been through a difficult experience. Unfortunately, everyone goes through that at some point and it’s very hard,” he said. “There are things that are more important than football but he needs to know – and he already does – that through this gesture from the team he can see he will never be alone with us and whatever happens, we’ll be there to support him.”

Deschamps, who missed France’s 4-1 win over Norway last week after leaving to attend the funeral, expressed his appreciation for the team’s response. During his absence, assistant coach Guy Stephan took temporary charge, replicating his role during a UEFA Nations League match in 2022 when Deschamps’ father passed away. The former France captain, who plans to step down as head coach at the conclusion of this World Cup after 14 years, described Mbappe’s leadership as exemplary. “On a personal level, Kylian’s gesture moved me a lot,” Deschamps said. “He’s our captain and I’m not saying good things about him just for the sake of it. It’s because he’s been exemplary from day one. The group stayed united, they did what needed to be done when I wasn’t there, and it was better for me and for them that I wasn’t there.”

Deschamps also emphasized the importance of group cohesion, noting that while mindset alone doesn’t win matches, a fractured team can lose them. Since his return, the squad has demonstrated continued solidarity around their coach, reflecting both personal and professional commitment as they advance in the tournament.