Observing their three consecutive wins against Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0), and Norway (4-1) to top Group I, Ibrahimovic highlighted France's comprehensive squad. He asserted that their opportunity to win the championship rests solely on the reigning runner-up, independent of other teams. "If they truly want it, France has a strong chance to win World Cup 2026", Ibrahimovic stated. "Anything can happen in the knockout rounds, but they possess incredible depth."

Dembele (left) celebrates with Mbappe during France's victory over Norway in Group I of the World Cup 2026, in Foxborough, USA on 26/6. *Photo: AP*

France's dominance in the group stage was evident. They topped Group I with 9 points, one of only two teams, alongside Mexico in Group A, to maintain a perfect record. They also emerged as one of the three highest-scoring teams in the group stage, netting 10 goals, alongside Germany and Netherlands. Individually, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele have both scored 4 goals, placing them second in the Golden Boot race, alongside Erling Haaland (Norway) and Vinicius (Brazil). Lionel Messi currently leads with 5 goals.

In the upcoming round of 16, France will face Sweden, Ibrahimovic's home country. The former Inter, AC Milan, and PSG striker expects France to score, attributing it to their top-tier forwards like Mbappe and Dembele. Dembele recently showcased his form with a hat-trick against Norway. "We are seeing the Dembele we once knew again", Ibrahimovic added.

Sweden, in contrast, finished third in Group F with 4 points. Alexander Isak and his teammates began their campaign with a 5-1 victory over Tunisia, but subsequently suffered a 1-5 loss to Netherlands and secured a 1-1 draw against Japan.

Despite Ibrahimovic's concerns about Sweden's chances of advancing, the team members themselves express a more optimistic outlook. Striker Alexander Isak acknowledged France as a title contender but expressed excitement for the "interesting" challenge. Assistant coach Sebastian Larsson believes France is not the sole favorite and trusts his players. Midfielder Ken Sema commented: "In a football match, anything can happen. They have superstars in every position, but we have faced worse. If we play well, we can make it difficult for any opponent."

*Highlights: Norway 1-4 France match.

The winner of the France-Sweden match on 30/6 will advance to the round of 8, where they will meet either Germany or Paraguay. The team progressing from this side of the bracket could potentially face Netherlands or Morocco in the quarterfinals.

France is currently considered the top contender for the World Cup 2026 title, with betting odds of 15/4. Other leading contenders include Argentina at 6/1, Spain at 13/2, England at 8/1, Portugal at 11/1, Brazil at 14/1, Netherlands at 16/1, and Germany at 20/1.

By Thanh Quy (via LP)