2026 World Cup: France Secures Painful Victory over Paraguay Through Kylian Mbappé Penalty
July 5, 2026 · Global
France advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup with a narrow victory over Paraguay, thanks to Kylian Mbappé's penalty.
France made it to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup after beating Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16 on Saturday. Even though they didn't play well, this victory means a lot for Les Bleus.
France had 76% of the ball possession and had more shots than Paraguay, but had to settle for a narrow one-goal win to continue their run. The only goal in the match was scored via a penalty kick by Kylian Mbappé in the 70th minute. Mbappé managed to outwit goalkeeper Orlando Gill by kicking the ball into the right corner of the goal after leaning his body slightly to the left.
The goal was Mbappé's seventh of the tournament and gives him a slight edge over Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race.
Paraguay, who made it through to the round of 16 after winning in a penalty shootout against Germany, is known for its solid defense and strategic frustration of opponents. Their strategy was clear: defend as hard as possible and wait until extra time or penalties.
The strategy almost worked. It took France more than 20 minutes to register their first shot, and throughout the match, Paraguay's five-man defense limited France to 15 shots (five of which were on target) and no goals from open play. Paraguay's defense was excellent, and Gill, previously the team's hero against Germany, made important saves.
Missed shots aside, Les Bleus' frustration was also evident in the offence: Paraguay managed to make France lose focus throughout the match, and were met with several poor decisions from the referee. The yellow card that Michael Olise received at the end of the match, for example, was obtained after Matías Galarza carried out a clear simulation but was not seen by the referee; This card could have an impact in the future, because Olise could miss the match if he gets another yellow card.
With Paraguay's journey in this World Cup ending after the second round, France, which is the favorite to win the title, will advance to the next round. Les Bleus will face Morocco, who previously picked up a dominant win over Canada on the same day.