France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP)
France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, advancing to the quarter-finals after a disciplined and patient performance.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the encounter was expected to test France’s attacking quality against Paraguay’s resilience.
It eventually lived up to expectations as both sides produced a competitive display.
France started brightly and controlled much of the possession in the opening exchanges, moving the ball confidently across the pitch and searching for spaces in Paraguay’s defence.
