Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Although Spain remain among the most popular contenders to win the 2026 World Cup, France’s comprehensive performance against Sweden has sparked concern and admiration in the Spanish press.
“Marca” newspaper, Spain’s biggest sports newspaper has launched a ‘Monster of the World Cup’ report, praising France’s fearsome display after their 3-0 win over Sweden, with Didier Deschamps’ side not content to run for the title but building on it game by game.
The newspaper confirmed that France is no longer a team that relies only on counter-attacks and speed, but has transformed into a team that controls the ball and controls the tempo of matches, which was evident against Sweden after he dominated possession and finished the game with a series of passes, almost doubling the opposition.
Marca highlighted the key role played by Michael Oliz in France’s attacking development as he produced an exceptional display and provided two assists for Bradley Barkola and Kylian Mbappe, noting that Deschamps’ decision to give him the freedom to move deep has given the France team a new and more diverse identity.
The magazine also praised France’s ability to maintain their level even with the changes, stressing that Barcola’s inclusion in place of Desiree Du has not affected the team’s personality or style of play, reflecting the depth of the French squad.
The paper did not fail to praise Kylian Mbappe, who it described as the biggest beneficiary of the new system after he became more liberal at the spearhead, continuing his successful attacking partnership with Olisse and Ousmane Dembele.
Marca found the balance achieved by Deschamps to be most impressive as the French side managed to keep a clean sheet in the fourth leg despite relying on four forwards thanks to collective commitment and constant pressure when losing the ball.
The Spanish publication concluded its report by stating that France look to be the toughest team in the tournament at the moment, stressing that the “Swedish defensive bus” did not withstand the power of the Roosters, while Paraguay will hope to reach the round of 16, having previously defeated Germany, in the final test against a team that has been billed as “Span’s World Cup”.
