France claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win over Paraguay in their FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash on Sunday, July 5 (As per IST) at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia. The game went on the expected lines, as it was filled with a lot of physicality, fouls and tactical brilliance.
Kylian Mbappe furious over Paraguay
The moment Paraguay was locked as an opponent for France for the Round of 16 stage, it was determined that the game was going to be very cagey and it turned out to be true. Both of the teams were engaged in making tactical fouls by involving a lot of physicality in the game. However, France emerged as the winners of the clash and progressed to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
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France captain Kylian Mbappe, who scored the only goal in the clash, was furious over the Paraguay players over their aggressive physical style of play, as he asserted that the French team can adapt to any kind of playing style. The Real Madrid forward claimed that France played just like Paraguay prefers to grind the result of the game.
The former PSG star believes that the French national team is not just an attacking side, but they are someone who can play dirty football as well and the clash against Paraguay was the proof of that.
"If we have to get our hands in the mud and the dirt, we'll get our hands in the dirt! We've proven that we're not just a team that knows how to play attacking football. They thought we were going to come and play elegantly, but we also know how to play dirty football," said Mbappe after the game.
How did France emerge victorious against Paraguay?
During the tense Round of 16 clash, France managed to break the deadlock against the South American side in the 67th minute through a dramatic VAR check. France's substitution Desire Doue made a strong run into the penalty are and was heavily challenged by Paraguay's Diego Gomez. Initally, the referee signalled play on, a swift VAR review prompted an on-field monitor check, which awarded a penalty to the French national team.
France captain switly slotted the ball from the penalty spot to gain lead of 1-0 over Paraguay. The strike from Mbappe was enough to guide France reach the quarterfinals of the tournament. Notably, this is going to be France's ninth appearance in the last-eight stage.
What's next for France in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Kylian Mbappe's side will be motivated to lock their horns against Morocco, who qualified for the last eight stage after securing a 3-0 win over Canada on Friday, July 10 at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough.
France will expect Kylian Mbappe to deliver another outstanding performance to guide them to the win in the quarterfinals. The Real Madrid forward is going through a purple patch currently, scoring seven goals and two assists in just five games.