France overcome stubborn Paraguay to secure quarter-final berth

France have secured themselves a spot in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after a close encounter against Paraguay which saw the French emerge victorious through a single goal scored through penalty by Kylian Mbappe.

Les Bleus did not have an easy task as they faced Paraguay who were determined to see them out of the tournament in the round of 16.

France almost opened the scoring in the 19th minute of the match after Bradley Barcola scored, although his goal was disallowed and the match ended with the scoreline at 0-0 despite France having possession of the ball more than their opponents.

However, the turning point in the match came in the 70th minute, as a result of a penalty awarded to France as a result of a VAR review. Mbappe successfully converted the penalty to put France ahead.

Paraguay tried their best to salvage the situation but France’s defense remained strong all through till the end of the match.

French discipline was evident in the cards issued to Manu Koné at the 81-minute mark and Michael Olise right at the death, but they were strong enough to earn a very narrow win.

The French now advance to the quarter-finals to meet the Moroccan team in what should be a mouth-watering encounter. Morocco made it to the quarter-final stage courtesy of their comfortable 3-0 victory against co-hosts Canada in the Round of 16.

As for Paraguay, this was a disappointing end to an admirable performance in the World Cup, where they went as far as reaching the knockout rounds and eliminating Germany via penalties in the Round of 32. For the French, however, their ambitions remain firmly alive following another brilliant display from Kylian Mbappé.