The French team beat Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday evening in the World Cup. Did Dutch referee Danny Makkelie play a role in Sweden's heavy defeat?

What happened?

Swedish players believe the referee favored France. Victor Lindelöf said: « We wanted to be aggressive in the duels and show that we were keen to get a good result. I think they sometimes get easy free kicks ».

Why does it matter for France?

France is currently on a three-game winning streak, after beating Iraq 3-0 on June 22, 2026. Here are France's recent results: | Date | Opponent | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-22 | Iraq | 3-0 |

What comes next?

France will face Turkey on September 25, 2026. The French team is currently in good form, with four wins in five matches. And the Swedish players have criticized the refereeing after their defeat. Gabriel Gudmundsson judged that France benefited from their status as World Cup favorites: « It's like that when you face France. There are many stars, the referees may not whistle as much »