France edged a stubborn Paraguay side 1-0 to book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A 70th-minute penalty from proved to be the difference, sending France into the last eight and setting up a mouth-watering clash against Africa’s Atlas Lions of .
It was a difficult outing for ‘s side, as Paraguay adopted a disciplined and defensive approach that frustrated the French attack for much of the contest.
The encounter also featured several heated moments, with Paraguay fortunate to finish the match with all 11 players on the pitch.
The deadlock was finally broken when Mbappé calmly converted from the penalty spot with 20 minutes remaining.
The goal saw the forward draw level with on seven goals each in the tournament’s scoring chart.
France will now face Morocco for a place in the semi-finals, while Messi’s will take on Africa’s other remaining representative, , in another quarter-final showdown.
