France vs Paraguay Score, FIFA World Cup 2026 Live: Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are both chasing the Golden Boot at this World Cup. (Photo: AP)France vs Paraguay FIFA World Cup 2026 Football Match highlights: France beat Paraguay 1-0 after Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. It was Desire Doue who earned them a penalty after being brought down in the box in their Round of 16 clash at the FIFA World Cup.
The World Cup knockout stage returned to Philadelphia for a high-stakes Round of 16 showdown at Lincoln Financial Field. France, powered by the electric duo of Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, face a surging Paraguay team coming off a massive, giant-killing upset against four-time champions Germany in the Round of 32.
Aside from the opponent, Les Bleus are having to battle brutal environmental conditions. A severe heatwave has hit Philadelphia on matchday, with field temperatures expected to exceed a blistering 100°F (38°C).
The underlying storyline of this tournament remains the historic statistical race between Mbappé and Lionel Messi. Mbappé is currently putting on a finishing clinic as he chases the all-time World Cup career goals record. He notched up his 19th World Cup goal today. Thanks to the goal against Paraguay, Mbappé has drawn level on the top with Messi in the Golden Boot standings.
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Orlando Gill denies Mbappe twice in a row!
The France forward received the ball on the left of goal and tried the curl the ball past a defender into the goal, but despite a Paraguay defender blocking Gill's vision, he dives to his right and blocks with a strong palm. But Mbappe is not done. he tries to shoot again, but once again Gill is there to save!
France lead 1-0 after 93rd minute (where we have 10 minutes of added time)
As we approach the 90th minute, they flash an insane stat on broadcast: 94 passes completed for Paraguay so far. France have meanwhile completed 474 passes.
Kylian Mbappe finds himself in space and received the ball without any defender pressuring him. he shoots but can only sting the palms of the Paraguayan keeper.
Still 1-0 for France as we approach the 90th minute mark.
Desire Doue is brought down after a slaloming run in the middle of the Paraguayan box. The ref allowed the game to go on initially, but after a VAR check, the penalty is given.
Mbappe does a stutter in his run up and then rolls the ball into the bottom right corner for France's lead.
FRANCE LEAD 1-0
Mbappe is just one goal behind Messi's record at World Cup of 20 goals. And he also draws level with Messi on seven goals for the Golden Boot race.
After four minutes in the second half, France have a golden opportunity to score. Mbappe is released by a ball over the defence, and he runs full pelt with the ball. The danger is snuffed out as soon as Mbappe reaches the box.But fans must have had their hearts in their mouths.
from the corner kick, Dembele had another close chance. But he too was thwarted an the ball was claimed by the keeper.
It's goalless at half-time as Kylian Mbappe and Co have been left utterly frustrated by Paraguay's low block. A couple of times we have had France players indulging in frustrated shoves on Paraguay players, an indicator that they are getting worked up by the way Paraguay have decided to set up.
France have had 57 per cent of the ball while Paraguay have had just 31 per cent.
ZERO SHOTS ON TARGET FROM FRANCE IN THE FIRST HALF
After a frustrating 40 minutes, Mbappe is starting to drop deeper in the midfield, maybe to entice the Paraguayan defenders tp drop deeper in chase of him.
Paraguay defending with all 11 players behind the ball mostly.
it's getting heated in the middle. Mbappe tries to run to Paraguay goal with the ball at his feet. But he cannot shrug away Andres Cubas, who halts him unethically. Then he puts both his hands on Mbappe's chest, romantic style. Mbappe is not amused, or in the mood to reciprocate Cubas' touchy feely vibe. So Mbappe responds with a two-handed shove on Cubas which sets off a series of pushing and shoving. No cards for all the shoves by the referees, but it does a minute for order to be restored.
After 35 minutes, France 0-0 Paraguay
Another chance for France, who are now starting to mount attacks on the Paraguayan citadel. Only the final touch is missing. This time too, a cross is delivered from the right flank and Mbappe rises from next to the penalty spot. But he cannot get his head o nthe ball due to pressure from a Paraguayan ddefender.
After 30 minutes, France 0-0 Paraguay
After trying their luck via ground forays into the box, France's Kone lifts the ball over the defensive line. And Mbappe runs on to it, but he's too late to it.
Most of the game so far has been played in the Paraguay half, in and around the box. The French have dominated possession and have tried to unlock the Paraguayan defence with patient passing from one side to another before attempting a through ball. So far, nothing has come off of it.
After 10 minutes, France 0-0 Paraguay
(An incredible stat after 11 minutes of football: 115 passes completed for France. Seven passes completed for Paraguay.)
Slow start to the game so far. By slow we mean, no goals yet! there have been just a couple of forays into the box by either side so far. Are the players feeling the heat of the Philly weather already? It's about 37 degrees Celsius in Philadelphia today. One of the hottest matches of the World Cup.
here's a reminder on what the two playing XIs look like:
France XI: Maignan; Koude, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe.
Paraguay XI: Gill: Caceres, Gomez, Velazquez, Alderete, Alonso; Cubas, Gomez; Almiron, Galarza; Enciso.
Here we go. Both sets of players are out for the national anthems. A couple of photos later, we'll have kick off in sweltering Philly.
Paraguay playing in their red and white striped jerseys. France playing in their traditional blue jerseys.
A contest between footballing giant vs World cup giant-killers is here.
We're minutes from kickoff in what appears to be baking hot Philadelphia. The city is in the middle of a heatwave, and the players will be feeling the heat, literally.
We'll be underway in just over 10 minutes from now.
If Paraguay win today -- and considering what they did to four-time champions Germany in the previous game, we should not rule it out -- they will equal their best-ever World Cup finish of reaching the quarter-finals in 2010. That 2010 World Cup was also their last World Cup appearance.
If Paraguay win today -- and considering what they did to four-time champions Germany in the previous game, we should not rule it out -- they will equal their best-ever World Cup finish of reaching the quarter-finals in 2010. That 2010 World Cup was also their last World Cup appearance.
Captain of France’s 1998 champions, Didier Deschamps took over as manager in 2012 and announced in January he will retire this summer. The victory over Sweden was his record 18th as a World Cup coach.
Les Bleus scored 14 goals over seven games in winning the 1998 World Cup, 12 when it captured its second title in 2018 and 16 four years ago.
“We’re very much more offensive than in 2018 and in 2022,” Mbappé said through a translator. “It’s the continuity of what we started to build throughout Didier Deschamps’ tenure over the last 14 years. You can see the evolution, his personal touch, and the arrival of a lot of young talent.”
France has overtaken Argentina for No. 1 in FIFA's rankings. Its four wins have come against teams currently ranked 18th (Senegal), 63rd (Iraq), 21st (Norway) and 37th (Sweden).
Paraguay, fresh from taking down Germany, have made three changes.
Paraguay XI: Gill: Caceres, Gomez, Velazquez, Alderete, Alonso; Cubas, Gomez; Almiron, Galarza; Enciso.
Here's what France's XI looks like: Maignan; Koude, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe.
So one chance from Deschamps, with Manu Kone steeping in for Aurelien Tchouameni in central midfield.
France is using a 4-2-3-1 formation and their coach Didier Deschamps allows freedom to be fluid.
“They come in different positions. They’re not static,” Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres said after their loss to France. “They know each other well in how they move and their connection between each other.”
Mbappé is second in the list of tournament top scorers, a goal behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi with six goals after getting his third brace Tuesday. Dembélé is tied for fourth with four goals.
Olise leads with five assists, while Mbappe and Dembele have two apiece. Barcola has a goal and two assists.
Germany and the Netherlands are out of the World Cup. Brazil was pushed to the edge by Japan. Spain was frustrated by Cabo Verde, who also pushed Argentina to the brink.
if there's one team that has been purring in fourth gear at this tournament, it's France, who won the 2018 edition and lost in the final four years ago.
So far, France have pumped in 13 goals in their four games.
Two years ago, before Orlando Gill became Paraguay's hero at the FIFA World cup after heroics in the penalty shootout against Germany, his wife posted something online that almost nobody read. “When Lauti was born, we had nothing. Orlando sold his old club’s clothes…”
The post sat there unnoticed until his saves against Turkey sent people looking for who he was, and the post came back the way these things do, found again once the man in it mattered.
Gill kept playing anyway. On Monday night at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, with the sun gone and the floodlights up, the man his wife once described selling his own clothes to get by saved two penalties and ended Germany’s World Cup.
READ MORE FROM SANDIP G ON ORLANDO GILL
France's terrifying frontline of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and Bradley Barcola has been putting opponents to the sword so far. The Les Blues are 4-0 in the tournament after outscoring opponents 13-2 in terms of goals.
Norway coach Ståle Solbakken was unequivocal in his praise for France attackers: “France's four up front is the best in the competition by far.”
France became the first nation in history to score three or more goals in five consecutive World Cup matches.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the France vs Paraguay game from the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup. Paraguay come into this clash after sending back four-time champions Germany. France meanwhile are the in form team at this event, scoring 13 goals in their four games so far.
