France advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday, prevailing in a match marked by intense physicality and repeated attempts by Paraguay to unsettle the favored French side. The win sets up a quarter-final clash against Morocco in Boston on Thursday.
France entered the contest as one of the tournament favorites, having displayed a blend of skillful, attacking play in their first four games. However, against Paraguay, they had to adapt to a more physical game, responding to what they described as persistent provocations and unsportsmanlike behavior from their South American opponents. Paraguay’s tactics included attempts to incite confrontations during the game and after the final whistle. Notably, Paraguay midfielder Gustavo Velazquez was seen trying to damage the penalty spot moments before Kylian Mbappe converted a crucial penalty in the 70th minute.
Mbappe acknowledged the challenge posed by the match, emphasizing France’s readiness to engage in a more combative style if required. “We knew what kind of match we were going to have,” he said. “We can also get our hands dirty, we know how to do it.” Rayan Cherki, a late substitute for France, also encountered harsh treatment soon after entering the field. “We reminded everyone that the France team is not just about football. If you go to war with us, this is the response you can expect,” Cherki stated.
Despite the provocations, French coach Didier Deschamps urged restraint, noting the difficulty in maintaining focus under such pressure. “It wasn’t easy,” Deschamps said. “If we’d taken one of our chances late in the game, it would have been a much more comfortable finish. Paraguay use every trick in the book. It’s not necessarily the kind of football people enjoy watching, but we stayed focused and that’s not easy to do.”
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, now a pundit, harshly criticized Paraguay’s conduct. “Paraguay’s players were an absolute disgrace,” Hart remarked, expressing disbelief at the actions of the Paraguayan players and staff. He condemned the attempts to disrupt play, particularly the incident involving the penalty spot. “I want to win fair and square. I want to have a scrap on the pitch and if you leave bloodied, you leave bloodied. But all the things going on behind the referee’s back, I hated it,” Hart said.
Defender William Saliba succinctly described the overall experience as a battle that France emerged from victorious. “We fought a battle. We won the battle,” Saliba commented following the match.
The encounter highlighted France’s ability to adapt beyond their celebrated technical style, underscoring their resilience as they pursue a third consecutive World Cup final appearance. Meanwhile, Paraguay’s contentious tactics and physical approach have drawn widespread rebuke, intensifying discussion around sportsmanship at the tournament.