Key events<\/p>\n
Julian Menz lands in the inbox once more: \u201cSome early signs of cautious optimism\/the Hembr\u00e4nt (moonshine) kicking in here. It\u2019s probably going to get a bit interesting if Sweden<\/a> score, but it\u2019s not my stuga.<\/p>\n \u201cThat Swedish team is good enough to bother most teams at the WC, but France is one step too far. Swedes seem to have a keen sense of irony though, and realise that they have more wins in the WC than they collected during qualifying.<\/p>\n \u201cFor anyone who doesn\u2019t understand the Swedish national anthem btw, it\u2019s typically optimistic, and ends with \u2018I want to die in the North\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Peter Oh emails: \u201cThe Sweden women\u2019s team achieved a third-place finish at their last World Cup<\/a>, in 2023. Could you ask Julian if he and his bit-chomping Swedish comrades reckon that the achievement will be matched by the Menz, I mean, men\u2019s team?\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I am suspicious Mbappe will be top of this list come full-time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Colin Livingstone gets in touch to say: :As an Evertonian, I wince every time I hear name of Digne or see his photo, due to the pain of losing such a talented player thanks to the ineptitude of a complete clown of a manager.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole managerial merry-go-round of failure is so baffling.\u201d<\/p>\n Glory days.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kylian Mbappe is primed.<\/p>\n Kylian Mbappe jogs out to warm up. Photograph: Daniela Porcelli\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Julian Menz emails: \u201cI\u2019m sat here in the middle of Sweden<\/a> with a bunch of heavily fortified Swedes. The mood is what it must have felt like when the aristocrats were queuing up for the Guillotine.<\/p>\n \u201dHope springs eternal though!\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Matan emails: \u201cDo you give Sweden<\/a> a prayer today? France could be got at defensively, but I fear Potter\u2019s side will be crushed by the attacking force of Les Bleus.\u201d<\/p>\n I suspect they will get beaten well but they do have an exciting front three. I fear, however, France<\/a> will give them the runaround at the other end.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I once shook Lucas Digne\u2019s hand at a Michael Jackson tribute night. That\u2019s my only link to tonight\u2019s match.<\/p>\n Lucas Digne wanders into the stadium. Photograph: Adam Hunger\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Wrap your eyeballs around Football Daily.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starting lineups<\/p>\n France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe<\/p>\n Subs: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Konate, T Hernandez, L Hernandez, Lacroix, Kone, Kante, Zaire-Emery, Cherki, Akliouche, Thuram, Doue, Mateta<\/p>\n Sweden (3-4-3): Zetterstrom; Lagerbielke, Lindelof, Gudmundsson; Svensson, Stroud, Bergvall, Ayari; Isak, Gyokeres, Elanga,<\/p>\n Subs: V Johansson, Nordfeldt, H Johansson, Ekdal, Starfelt, Smith, Bernardsson, Nygren, Sema, Karlstrom, Svanberg, Zeneli, Nilsson, Ali<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.25 EDT<\/p>\n I wonder if Elanga will get a start tonight as Potter may consider the extra pace and trying to give the French full-backs somthing to think about.<\/p>\n Anthony Elanga<\/a>Share<\/a><\/p>\n Sweden coach Graham Potter has said his team would have to produce something special to beat France.<\/p>\n \u201cThey have quality all over… They have won the World Cup<\/a> before and they have a fantastic manager,\u201d Potter said. \u201cAn exciting challenge awaits us, and we will have to play the game of our lives, clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Elsewhere \u2026 Jonathan Wilson was in Dallas to see Norway defeat Cote d\u2019Ivoire and set up a clash with Brazil.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Alexander Isak is in attendance.<\/p>\n Alexander Isak walks into the stadium. Photograph: Petter Arvidson\/BILDBYR\u00c5N\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Mbappe has been impressive thus far but he still has a couple more gears. Will he show them in this match?<\/p>\n Kylian Mbappe<\/a>Share<\/a><\/p>\n This is ruddy impressive from our creative genius Jonny Weeks.<\/p>\n Valderrama, Chong, Los Angeles Stadium and Maradona. Composite: Guardian Picture DeskShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.26 EDT<\/p>\n Pre-match reading.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n Hello one and all!<\/p>\n After a couple of relative shocks on Monday, Sweden<\/a> could be eyeing another here tonight. There is plenty of quality in Graham Potter\u2019s squad, with the strike pairing of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres the envy of many countries. If they can align up top, they will cause a lot of problems.<\/p>\n