France squeaked past Paraguay 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup round of 16, but the scoreline barely tells the story. Didier Deschamps, France’s longtime coach, was so concerned about Kylian Mbappé getting hurt that he deployed larger teammates around his star forward like human shields as the match wound down.
Paraguay’s game plan was, to put it diplomatically, physical. Mbappé absorbed foul after foul, the kind of treatment that makes coaches age in dog years. Deschamps didn’t just watch it happen. He adjusted his formation to surround Mbappé with bigger bodies, a tactical move designed less for attacking advantage and more for keeping his best player’s legs intact.
Paraguay’s plan: if you can’t stop him, stop him
The volume of challenges directed specifically at Mbappé during the July 4-5 match stood out even by World Cup standards. Paraguay knew that neutralizing Mbappé was their best shot at an upset, and they pursued that objective with enthusiasm that bordered on reckless.
Deschamps acknowledged the danger openly, stating that he positioned larger players around Mbappé for protection during the match. It’s the kind of admission coaches rarely make so directly.
