France captain Kylian Mbappe praised his team's grit and ability to win ugly after a tense 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at Lincoln Financial Field in Pennsylvania. The win secured France's place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Morocco.
Mbappe Acknowledges Tough Battle
Speaking to host broadcasters after the match, Mbappe said, "I think we knew what kind of match we were going to have, but I think today it's very good. The match we had, how we played it. We showed that we weren't just a team that knew how to play offensive football. If we have to get our hands dirty, we're going to get our hands dirty, sorry for the expression. We don't have a problem with that."
He added, "They thought we were going to come playing in tuxedos, that we were just going to come and do beautiful moves, one-twos. We know how to play dirty football, too. And we did it today, we won, and even in that, we were better than them."
Paraguay Frustrates France in First Half
France dominated possession throughout the match but struggled to break down a disciplined Paraguay side that employed organized defending and relentless pressing. The first half ended goalless, with neither side registering a shot on target. According to match statistics, this was only the third FIFA World Cup knockout match since 1966 to reach halftime without an effort on goal.
The game featured several flashpoints. Tempers flared midway through the first half after Mbappe reacted to a challenge from Andres Cubas, sparking a mass confrontation between players from both teams. France ended the match with three yellow cards, while Paraguay escaped without a booking.
Penalty Decides the Contest
The breakthrough came in the 66th minute when substitute Desire Doue dazzled past three defenders before being brought down inside the penalty area by Diego Gomez. As Paraguay players attempted to delay the restart and crowded around Ousmane Dembele, believing he would take the kick, Dembele instead left the penalty for Mbappe. The France captain calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to score the only goal of the match.
Paraguay pressed for an equalizer late on, while Mbappe was denied a second goal in stoppage time by an excellent double save from goalkeeper Orlando Gill. After the final whistle, Gill attempted to shake Mbappe's hand, but the French skipper walked past him and continued celebrating with his teammates.
France Advances to Quarter-Finals
The narrow victory sends France into the quarter-finals, where they will take on Morocco as they continue their quest for a third FIFA World Cup crown. France had cruised through the group stage but faced a much sterner test against Paraguay, demonstrating their ability to adapt to different styles of play.
