Key stats
- France have scored in their last nine games in the World Cup, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 15 games from 2nd June 1978 to 21st June 1986.
- Les Bleus have kept a clean sheet in three of their five games, only Spain (four) and Mexico (four) have done this more often in the World Cup.
- Against France, Paraguay didn't pick up a single card in a World Cup match for the first time since 1998 against Nigeria.
Highlights
Coming soon...
Analysis
Match report
After becoming the first team to ever beat Germany on penalties in a WC fixture, Paraguay unashamedly set about stifling France’s free-wheeling, star-studded side that had, until now, steamrollered all they had faced.
Through a combination of organisation, hard work, and the dark arts, the South American side frustrated the two-time WC winners during a niggly first half that boiled with an undercurrent of aggression.
The tone was set within the first 20 minutes, as Didier Deschamps’ men enjoyed over 80% possession and completed over six times more passes than their opponents, but failed to register a single shot at goal.
Led by the ever-busy Julio Enciso, who harried and busied the French defenders throughout the first half, La Albirroja limited their opponents to just five shots at goal in the opening period, and the match became just the third WC knockout game since 1966 not to feature a shot on target in the first half.
The epitome of France’s frustration came just after the half-hour mark, as Mbappé lost his cool after being bundled to the ground by Andrés Cubas, with the Real Madrid star reacting and sparking a 20-man scuffle.
With the temperature rising to a sizzling 39 degrees at the start of the second half, the threat posed by Les Bleus was also growing, as Manu Koné forced Orlando Gill into his first stop of the game as the goalkeeper tipped over a long-range effort.
Eventually, the introduction of Désiré Doué on the hour mark proved pivotal, as six minutes after coming on, the Paris Saint-Germain forward danced around three players into the box, where he was brought down by Diego Gómez.
Unfazed by Paraguay’s gamesmanship in trying to delay the taking of the penalty, Mbappé then stroked home the penalty low into the corner to break the deadlock.
With the landscape of the match altered, roles were swiftly reversed as France became the great spoilers, replicating Paraguay’s penchant for wasting time and committing tactical fouls.
Mbappé could have doubled his side’s advantage deep into stoppage time were it not for an excellent double save from Gill, but ultimately, France had done enough to pass their sternest test yet at this WC, with a different and more severe challenge expected against Morocco on Thursday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: William Saliba (France)
Click here to see all the stats of the match.
World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.
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