France breaks the champion’s curse and advances to the FIFA World Cup round of 16 in 2022.

Following their victory over Denmark at the Stadium 974 in Qatar on Saturday, France became the first defending World Cup champion to advance to the round of 16 since Brazil in 2006.

Despite a goal from Andreas Christensen of Denmark, Kylian Mbappe’s two goals in the second half sealed France’s passage to the Qatar 2022 pre-quarterfinals.

Les Blues’ victory ends the “champion’s curse,” which they had previously encountered when they were eliminated in the group stage in 1998 after winning the World Cup.

FIFA is looking into Serbia for having a “hateful” Kosovo flag in the locker room.

What is the curse of the champion?

Starting with France in 1998, no European nation that has won the FIFA World Cup has advanced past the group stage since.

The champion of the FIFA World Cup in 2006, Italy, was eliminated in the 2010 tournament, while Spain, which won the World Cup for the first time in 2010, was also ousted four years later.

After defeating Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, Germany followed suit with a shocking departure in Russia four years prior.

With Didier Deschamps in command of the team—a man who was a member of the squad that was first afflicted by the curse 14 years ago—it was poetic justice for France to break the spell.