Guwahati: France secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a resilient Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday, with captain Kylian Mbappé scoring the decisive second-half penalty.
In sweltering conditions at Lincoln Financial Field, Didier Deschamps’ side dominated possession but struggled to break down Paraguay’s disciplined defensive setup for much of the contest. The South Americans, fresh from their shock penalty-shootout victory over Germany in the previous round, frustrated France with compact defending and physical play.
The breakthrough finally came in the 70th minute when substitute Désiré Doué made an immediate impact, weaving into the penalty area before being brought down by Diego Gómez. Following a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot, allowing Mbappé to calmly convert from 12 yards for the decisive goal.
Despite creating several opportunities, France found Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill in inspired form, with the shot-stopper making crucial saves to keep his side in the contest. Paraguay also threatened late on, but France’s defence held firm to preserve the narrow advantage and book a place in the last eight.
The victory sets up a quarter-final clash with Morocco, who earlier defeated Canada 3-0 to continue their impressive World Cup campaign. The match will be a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, when France defeated Morocco to reach the final.
Mbappé’s strike also strengthened his challenge in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot, while France moved a step closer to another World Cup title with a composed performance under difficult conditions.