France Beat Paraguay To Set Up World Cup Quarter-final Against Morocco

France booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Paraguay in Philadelphia, with Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty finally breaking stubborn resistance.

Didier Deschamps’ side will now head to Boston for a last-eight clash against Morocco on Thursday, July 9, after the North Africans swept aside co-hosts Canada 3-0.

France dominated possession from the opening whistle but struggled to turn control into clear chances against a disciplined Paraguay defence. The first half ended goalless, with neither side managing a shot on target as temperatures climbed to 38°C.

Paraguay, making their first World Cup appearance since 2010, frustrated the two-time champions throughout the opening period. Their disciplined display even drew a flash of anger from Mbappe, who reacted after being fouled by Andres Cubas in the 36th minute.

France finally tested goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the 54th minute when Manu Kone struck from distance, producing the first effort on target of the match.

The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 70th minute after substitute Desire Doue made an immediate impact. Four minutes after replacing Bradley Barcola, the Paris Saint-Germain forward burst into the penalty area before being tripped by Brighton midfielder Diego Gomez.

Referee Ilgiz Tantashev initially waved play on but pointed to the spot after a video assistant referee review.

Mbappe made no mistake from 12 yards, calmly sending Gill the wrong way to score the only goal of the match.

The strike moved the France captain onto seven goals in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot, drawing him level with Lionel Messi.

Paraguay’s spirited campaign ends in the last 16 after memorable wins, including a penalty shoot-out victory over Germany in the previous round. They will return to the global stage in 2030 when they co-host one of the opening matches of the centenary World Cup.