Kylian Mbappe Sends France Past Paraguay into World Cup Last Eight

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Kylian Mbappe converted a second-half penalty to send France national football team into the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a tense 1-0 victory over Paraguay national football team in Philadelphia on Saturday.

The victory secured France a last-eight meeting with Morocco national football team, who earlier defeated Canada 3-0 to become the first African nation to reach consecutive World Cup quarterfinals.

France, who had scored 13 goals in their first five matches of the tournament, struggled to break down Paraguay's disciplined defense throughout the opening half. The South American side combined compact defending with a physical approach that repeatedly disrupted the French attack.

The breakthrough finally came in the 70th minute after Diego Gómez clipped Désiré Doué inside the penalty area. Following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, the referee pointed to the spot, allowing Mbappé to calmly convert the decisive penalty.

As reported by ESPN, the goal was Mbappé's seventh of the tournament, drawing him level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. Mbappé also moved to within one goal of Messi's all-time World Cup tally, while maintaining a two-assist advantage in the Golden Boot standings.

The France captain had further opportunities to extend the lead late in the match, but Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill produced several outstanding saves to deny him.

The match unfolded under sweltering conditions, with temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius at kickoff, making it one of the hottest matches of the tournament. Hydration breaks were frequently used as players battled both the heat and an increasingly heated contest.

Paraguay's physical tactics dominated much of the discussion after the final whistle. Tempers flared several times as French players were repeatedly challenged, including incidents involving Andrés Cubas, Matías Galarza, and Gabriel Avalos.

According to BBC Sport, former England goalkeeper Joe Hart described Paraguay's conduct as "an absolute disgrace," while former England defender Micah Richards called the repeated provocations "embarrassing."

French head coach Didier Deschamps also criticized Paraguay's approach, saying his players expected a highly physical encounter.

"I asked the two biggest lads to stand around Kylian at the end because they were going to chop him down," Deschamps said, adding that Paraguay "use every trick in the book."

Mbappé, however, insisted France had been prepared for the challenge.

"We know how to play ugly football," he said after the match. "They thought we'd show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. If we have to get our hands dirty, we'll get our hands dirty."

France defender William Saliba said the team deliberately avoided reacting to Paraguay's attempts to provoke them.

"We had to stay focused," Saliba said. "Sometimes it feels good to win a tough match like this because it shows we can win in different ways."

Forward Rayan Cherki echoed that view, saying the victory demonstrated France's versatility.

"The French team can play beautiful football, but can also go to war," he said.

With Deschamps becoming the first coach to record 10 World Cup knockout victories, France now shift their focus to Thursday's quarterfinal against Morocco, as Mbappé continues his pursuit of both another World Cup title and the tournament's Golden Boot award.

Read: Morocco Downs Canada 3-0 to Reach World Cup Quarterfinals

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