Qatar 2022: Mbappe solidifies 'best player in the world' status as France demolish Poland

Didier Deschamps made nine changes from the Tunisia game, returning to the XI that beat Denmark eight days ago. Raphael Varane and Aurelien Tchouameni are the only men who started on Wednesday. 

The Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz makes two changes from the team that lost to Argentina. Sebastian Szymanski and Jakub Kaminski replace Krystian Bielik and Karol Swiderski, which could mean a switch to a back five.

Olivier Giroud looked certain to open the scoring early on as he arrived to tap in a back post cross from Ousmane Dembele into an open goal, but he could not reach it in time. However, just before half-time, he moved ahead of Thierry Henry as France all-time top leading scorer with a superb turn and shot, his 52nd for Les Bleus.

Mbappe drew the defence to him and slid the ball through into the path of Giroud, who grabbed the inch of space he needed to clip the ball past Szczesny and net his third goal of the tournament.

As France continued to dominate proceedings, it was clear a second goal would arrive sooner rather than later. Mbappe who looked like a man on a mission, doubled the lead for france with 15 minutes remaining with an unstoppable powerful strike into the corner. 

Mbappe is easily one of the best footballers on the planet and this World Cup has just been further proof of his greatness at such a young age. He made sure of safe passage for France by adding another brilliantly taken goal with a curled finish into the far top right corner, his fifth of the tournament.

A handball by Dayot Upamecano gave Lewandowski a chance of scoring a consolation goal for Poland with a penalty that was first saved by Lloris before being retaken and scored by the Barcelona man.

The result means France will continue their World Cup title defence in the quarterfinals against the winners of England and Senegal, who play later on Sunday.