The French national team booked a spot in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup after defeating Paraguay in an exciting match.
France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in a match held in the round of 16 of the World Cup.
Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the match from a penalty kick.
The French national team, runner-up of the last edition and champion of the previous one, booked a spot in the quarter-finals.
The Roosters will play against Morocco in the quarter-finals of the current World Cup edition.
Morocco defeated Canada with a three-goal win to book a spot in the quarter-finals.
The French national team previously defeated Morocco 2-0 in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, but the current edition may yield a different result.
Hunger Without Limits
The French national team's account on the "X" platform published a video showing Rayan Cherki in the last training session preparing for the Paraguay match, looking very enthusiastic.
Cherki said in a video published by the French national team's account: "People may not see it, but we have an insatiable hunger for glory."
The French national team had 76% ball possession compared to 24% for the Paraguayan team, and the Roosters made 15 shots compared to only 5 for the Paraguayan team.
The French national team also achieved its fifth consecutive victory out of 5 matches played in the current World Cup edition, dominating all its opponents.
"Les gens ne le voient pas, mais on a faim de fou furieux !" 👊
🗣 @rayan_cherki pic.twitter.com/Htd6pvdeUg
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 2, 2026
With the penalty successfully taken by Mbappe, the French national team has scored 16 out of 17 penalty kicks awarded to them in their World Cup history, with the only missed penalty belonging to Karim Benzema against Switzerland in the 2014 World Cup.
The French national team also became the second most awarded team for penalty kicks in World Cup history with 17 penalties, behind Spain with 18 penalties.
Thus, Kylian Mbappe equaled Antoine Griezmann's record by reaching 19 matches with the French national team in the World Cup, with only Hugo Lloris surpassing them with 20 matches.
Kylian Mbappe increased his tally to 11 goals in the knockout stages of the World Cup, enhancing his position among the top scorers in the tournament's history.
The French national team became the fourth team to reach 150 goals in World Cup history, after Brazil (246 goals), Germany (243), and Argentina (163).
Formation
Kylian Mbappe led the French national team's attack against Paraguay in the World Cup, while Manu Koné played instead of Aurélien Tchouaméni.
On the other hand, the Paraguayan national team relied on the duo Julio Enciso and Miguel Almirón to lead their attack against the Roosters.
Match Description
The French national team started the match with intense offensive pressure, and Kylian Mbappe almost opened the scoring after shooting from inside the penalty area, but the defense intervened and cleared the ball to a corner kick, before Ousmane Dembele missed a clear chance with a shot that went past the left post.
The Paraguayan national team responded with a dangerous attempt by Miguel Almirón, who shot from inside the penalty area, but the French defense blocked his attempt and turned it into a corner kick, after which goalkeeper Mike Maignan managed to clear the danger.
The French national team tried to impose its control over the course of the match, but Adrien Rabiot failed to capitalize on several opportunities, shooting over the crossbar and another blocked by the defense, while Manu Koné and Dembele lacked accuracy in the final touch.
The Paraguayan national team relied on defensive organization and counter-attacks, while goalkeeper Orlando Gil continued to shine, successfully dealing with crosses and set-pieces executed by the French players.
The match was stopped in the 53rd minute after Orlando Gil suffered an injury that required medical attention, before receiving treatment and returning to continue the match normally.
In the 55th minute, Manu Koné of the French national team fired a rocket shot from the middle of the Paraguayan area, but an outstanding save by goalkeeper Orlando Gil sent the ball to a corner.
The French national team continued its offensive pressure in the second half, earning a penalty kick in the 69th minute.
Kylian Mbappe stepped up to take the penalty, successfully shooting it into the lower right corner, giving the French national team a 1-0 lead in the 70th minute.
Mbappe does not miss and puts France ahead against Paraguay from the penalty spot#WorldCup2026 | #Mundial2026 | #WorldCup#FIFAWorldCup2026 | #FIFAWorldCup | #beINWC26 pic.twitter.com/5THN9oPc29
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) July 4, 2026
The Paraguayan national team responded by making two substitutions at once, with Miguel Almirón and Gustavo Gómez leaving, and Gabriel Avalos and Mauricio joining to energize the team.
The Paraguayan national team tried to get back into the match, but Junior Alonso's shot from outside the penalty area went wide of the goal in the 87th minute.
The French national team made a substitution in the 84th minute, with Ousmane Dembele leaving and Rayan Cherki joining to boost the offensive side.
Michael Olise almost extended France's lead after breaking towards the goal, but a Paraguayan defender returned in time and thwarted the attempt.
In the final minutes, Manu Koné received a yellow card after a strong tackle, while the referee awarded another foul against Kylian Mbappe, with France maintaining their lead until the final whistle.
