If the theme of the knockout rounds so far has been jeopardy and chaos, here came a reminder of order and certainty.
France were controlled and devastating all at once; rarely at risk but always a menace. Their frontline is what many feared it to be before the World Cup began; a frightening array of speed, trickery and brutal finishing.
Kylian Mbappe was once again the game-breaker, breaching Sweden’s defence to open the scoring, but the supporting cast just provide ammunition from every angle. Argentina look the best bet for a challenge but neither they, Spain or England have the variety of attacking threats posed by France, or the balance throughout the side.
