FIFA World Cup 2026: High-flying France wary of Paraguay’s tenacity

As Philadelphia prepares to celebrate 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, France arrives on Lincoln’s financial field looking every bit the tournament’s dominant force, but well aware that Paraguay has already shown how quickly an empire can be upset.

Les Bleus have spent much of this World Cup making their opponents look alarmingly unprepared. One moment Kylian Mbappé is sprinting into space behind a back line, the next Ousmane Dembele has broken free from the crowd and before the defenders can recover, Michael Olise has already found the pass or the finish. It is football played with a pace and precision that can make resistance futile.

That is the story of Didier Deschamps’ team during four matches in the United States. France have scored 13 goals, conceded just twice and come through the tournament with the look of a team that has found its rhythm early on. Sweden were the last nation to be brushed aside, a 3-0 victory that once again showcased the fearsome mix of France’s attacking riches.

But Saturday’s last-16 match against Paraguay carries its own warning. Gustavo Alfaro’s side have already produced the shock of the tournament, dragging Germany into a grim, tough match, holding it to a 1-1 draw and then sending them home on penalties.

That result was based on discipline. Junior Alonso and Gustavo Gomez held the center of the defense together, attacking crosses and refusing to let Germany play through the middle, while Andres Cubas and Damian Bobadilla started the tackles ahead of them. Miguel Almiron’s performance gave Paraguay an outlet to escape the pressure, while Julio Enciso, the sharpest attacking threat, shouldered much of the danger in the final third.

Paraguay will not try to exchange punches with France. It will try to suffocate spaces, break the rhythm and turn the evening into a long, airless battle in which favorites begin to doubt themselves.

Mbappe, one of the early contenders for the Golden Boot with six goals, was careful to recognize the danger posed by Paraguay. «I am focused on the climate and the dressing room. They have shown that they are a team to be taken seriously after Germany. We will go there to win,» he said.

Temperatures in Philadelphia are expected to reach above 38 degrees, with scientists urging FIFA to postpone the 5 p.m. start.

Deschamps, back in the dugout after a family loss, has also warned against reading Paraguay’s run as something new. «I have seen Paraguay. What they have achieved is not a coincidence,» he said. «They are a typical South American team, strong in matches and very tenacious. Moreover, they have high-quality players.»

There is history here too. The last time France faced Paraguay in a World Cup knockout match, in 1998, they needed Laurent Blanc’s golden goal in the 114th minute to escape. Deschamps was the captain that day. Almost thirty years later, he returns to the same match with a team that is much more explosive than the one he led at the time.

However, Paraguay will travel to Philadelphia with the belief that explosions can be muted. His job is simple. To make France wait, make France work, and see if impatience can upset Les Blues too.

Published on July 4, 2026