France advanced, and Kylian Mbappe got them there. The French became the first defending champions to reach the round of 16 at the World Cup since Brazil in 2006, beating Denmark 2-1 Saturday with Mbappe scoring both goals. “Kylian is an extraordinary player. He has the ability to make the difference at any time no matter what the other team plans to contain him,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “In addition to his great ability he is totally invested in the team and he’s made it an objective of his to win the World Cup.” Mbappe put his team in front in the 61st minute and then scored the winner with his right thigh in the 86th as Les Bleus became the first team at this year's tournament to advance from the group stage. The France forward swapped passes with Theo Hernandez down the left flank and poked the ball past Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel for the first goal. He then jumped acrobatically to guide in the second after a cross from Antoine Griezmann — who adapted well in a midfield role and provided his 26th assist for the national team. Denmark defender Andreas Christensen equalized for his team with a header in the 68th. Mbappe scored four goals when France won the World Cup four years ago, including one in the final. He now has 31 goals for France, moving him one ahead of Just Fontaine — the all-time leading scorer at a single World Cup with 13 goals at the 1958 tournament. Read: World Cup analysts cite more goals from crosses, penalties He joined another France great, playmaker Zinedine Zidane, with 31 goals. Zidane scored twice in the final when France won its first World Cup against Brazil in 1998 and one goal when Les Bleus lost in the 2006 final to Italy on penalty kicks. “There are different types of leaders," Deschamps said. “Mbappe's a leader, he sets the example with what he shows on the field.” France beat Australia 4-1 in its opening game while the Danes drew 0-0 with Tunisia. The Aussies beat Tunisia 1-0 earlier Saturday. “We’re in an ideal position. It makes you feel very calm to be qualified after two games,” Deschamps said. “There’s a strong chance we’ll finish first in the group.” No other defending champion had made it out of the group stage since 2002 champion Brazil managed to advance four years later. Italy, Spain and Germany all were eliminated early four years after winning their titles. The first time the French won the World Cup, they also went out early four years later. With Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema missing from the tournament with a leg injury, Mbappe has taken charge. He has 14 goals in his past 12 games for France, including three so far in Qatar. “Mbappe played a great match,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said. “He’s a fanastic player, that’s it.” Read: Poland beat Saudis 2-0 at World Cup The Danes beat France twice this year in the Nations League but looked tame in attack at Stadium 974 — on the rare occasions they even got near France’s penalty area. “We knew if would be a tough match. We had lost twice to them before," Griezmann said. "We worked hard and we worked well together. So it was a great win for us.” VARANE’S RETURN Central defender Raphael Varane returned to France’s defense for his first game since sustaining a hamstring injury playing for Manchester United on Oct. 11. The 2018 World Cup winner made his 88th international appearance and played 75 minutes before being replaced. THURAM’S LEGACY Forward Marcus Thuram came on in the second half as his father, Lilian Thuram, watched from the stands. The elder Thuram was a standout defender who helped France win its first World Cup in 1998. WHAT’S NEXT? The final Group D games are scheduled for Wednesday, when France will play Tunisia and Australia will face Denmark.

The first round of the group stage of the ongoing football world cup event concluded on Thursday, with some unexpected results. The host team, Qatar, became the first team out of the tournament after conceding two back-to-back defeats. On Saturday, four crucial matches will take place, with the biggest fixture being top-favourite Argentina's clash against Mexico. Let’s have a look at the group-phase matches that will take place on Qatar World Cup Day 7. Group C The two matches in Group C that will be held today are Saudi Arabia vs Poland at 7 p.m. (BST) and Argentina vs Mexico at 1 a.m. Sunday (BST). Read More: Qatar World Cup Round 1 Overview: One of the most unpredictable football events in recent years Saudi Arabia vs Poland After a surprising 2-1 victory over Argentina, the Asian giant Saudi Arabia are one of the most talked-about teams in this World Cup. They have a genuine chance to advance to the Round of 16 if they win any of their remaining two group phase matches against Poland or Mexico. With the confidence they have right now, the Saudi side can feel that they have a strong chance to make it to the next round. Poland, on the other hand, should target this match to earn all three points, as they can’t settle for another draw. The Polish team will top the group if they beat Saudi Arabia in this contest. All eyes will be on Robert Lewandowski, who missed a penalty in their opening match against Mexico. Argentina vs Mexico It’s a do-or-die contest for two-time champions Argentina after their shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia last week. Argentina will be out of the tournament at the group stage if they fail to win the match against Mexico, which will be hugely embarrassing for them. Coach Lionel Scaloni is mapping out an effective strategy that would see his side display a dominant performance against the Mexican team, something that was missing in the first match. For Mexico, this is a very crucial game as well. They are very much aware that Argentina will attempt to boss the contest, so getting all three points will be tough for them. The Mexican side will be hoping for at least a draw. Anything is possible if they can unsettle Argentina with a plan that they don't anticipate. Group D The two Group D fixtures that will be held today are: Tunisia vs Australia at 4 p.m. (BST) and France vs Denmark at 10 p.m. (BST). Read More: Argentina vs Mexico FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where, how to watch online and on TV, predicted XI Tunisia vs Australia Tunisia can feel confident that they will advance to the Round of 16 after holding Denmark to a 0-0 draw in their first match.Tunisia will go for everything to beat Australia in this match to make sure they are very much in the race for the top two finishes. Australia, on the other hand, will be out of the competition if they lose against Tunisia. They lost 4-1 against France after taking an early lead. This may disrupt their confidence a bit. But the Australian side has the ability to shock big teams, and this match against Tunisia will be a tough battle to watch. France vs Denmark Two strong favourites from this group are France and Denmark. The reigning champions started their campaign very well by beating Australia 4-1. Denmark, on the other hand, struggled against Tunisia and now face pressure when they play France today. Denmark will be hoping to snatch at least a point from this fixture if they fail to overcome the 2018 Champions. On the other hand, France will secure their place in the Round of 16 if they win the match against Denmark. French coach Didier Deschamps won’t surely leave it to their final fixture of the group phase against Tunisia. He will expect a dominant performance from his side against the Danish team to get all three points. Read More: US earns respect at World Cup, but wins remain elusive Aftermath The four matches on Day 7 of the Qatar World Cup are very important in the race to qualify for the Round of 16. Argentina, one of the most popular football teams in the world, would be eliminated from the competition if they suffered two consecutive defeats, which would be a major upset in this year's event. Besides, France and Saudi Arabia have a chance to make it to the knockout phase. Overall, Saturday's FIFA World Cup 2022 group stage matches should be exciting to watch.

Marcus Thuram doesn’t feel burdened by his father’s legacy for France. Lilian Thuram was part of France’s first World Cup title in 1998 and scored twice in the semifinals to lead Les Blues into the final against Brazil. Marcus Thuram made his World Cup debut on Tuesday in France’s 4-1 victory over Australia. “It’s no problem for me talking about him,” the 25-year-old said Thursday. “I’m proud of him.” He was approaching his first birthday when his father scored the only two international goals of his career in the 1998 semifinals, a 2-1 win over Croatia. Lilian Thuram was also part of the defense that beat Brazil 3-0 in the final. Read: Young Spain bring back 'tiki-taka' at World Cup Two years later, the elder Thuram won the European Championship and also reached the 2006 World Cup final. He holds the France record with 142 national appearances. Lilian Thuram also won two Italian league titles with Juventus, as well as the UEFA Cup with Parma, where his son was born in 1997. It’s given Marcus Thuram huge steps to follow in, but he isn’t concerned by comparisons in his first World Cup. “I don’t put myself under this kind of pressure. I’m very happy to be here,” he said. “Maybe when I look back over my career I’ll think about it.” His father is not putting him under any pressure, either. “He hasn’t told me to score twice in a (World Cup) semifinals,” Marcus Thuram joked. “But he told me to gain as much experience as I can here and to enjoy the moment.” He did need his father’s advice last season when Marcus Thuram lost his form and scored only three goals in 21 games for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the German Bundesliga. “I had to make sure that my dreams didn’t fade away. I spoke a lot to my dad then,” the striker said. “I’ve worked very hard on the mental aspect of my game. I’m playing in a more central role now as a number nine, and that’s made things easier for me.” Read: England wary of World Cup upset against US He’s scored 10 league goals in 13 games this season and is eager for his first international goal. “I know I have a responsibility to score goals and I like that,” he said. France plays Denmark on Saturday.