France advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup in North America, defeating Paraguay after a physical, tense match led by Kylian Mbappe's decisive goal. Mbappe remained composed despite Paraguay's rough play throughout the game, and afterward expressed confidence, saying, "We also know how to play dirty football."
On Friday (Korean time), Mbappe scored the game-winning penalty kick to lead his team to a 1-0 victory in the match held at Philadelphia Stadium in Pennsylvania. Played amid a heat wave reaching 38 degrees Celsius, the match featured physical clashes from start to finish that resembled a UFC bout.
In an interview after the match, Mbappe said, "Paraguay probably thought we would show up in tuxedos and only play flashy football, but we also know how to play dirty football. We showed that today," adding, "And even in that dirty football, we were better."
He continued, "We showed that France is not just a team that plays attacking football," and added, "If we have to get our hands dirty, we are willing to do so."
France coach Didier Deschamps also voiced criticism of Paraguay's playing style.
"Any team can play the way it wants, but I hope there are no insults," he said. "Football like Paraguay's, which exaggerates aggression, is not the kind of football that draws people to the stadium," he said sarcastically.
France will play Morocco in the quarterfinals at 5 a.m. on June 10 at Boston Stadium in the United States. The two nations met in the semifinals of the 2022 Qatar tournament, where France won 2-0.
