24 goals in knockout stages since 2018: the stat that puts France ahead of six nations combined

France defeated Sweden 3-0 in the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, bringing to 24 the number of goals scored by the Blues in nine knockout matches since the 2018 edition — a total higher than that of England, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy combined over the same period.

The statistic, noted by journalist Colin Millar after the match, illustrates a rare consistency at the highest level. With four World Cup finals in the last seven editions, France has established itself as the most consistent European nation in the decisive stages of the tournament.

The gap with its neighbours is explained in part by the difficulties faced by these major nations: failures to qualify, early eliminations or periods of underperformance over several successive editions. Meanwhile, less “historic” selections like Belgium, Croatia or Morocco made their way into the final stages, reshuffling world football’s cards.

Kylian Mbappé embodies this French dominance in the knockout stage on his own. The Blues captain now has 10 goals in knockout matches since 2018 — a figure that none of the six nations mentioned reaches collectively over the same sequence.

There remain four matches to play to go all the way in the tournament. France, solid and prolific, approaches the rest with the credentials of a favourite, though the title is not yet secured.