Kylian Mbappe declared France are prepared to win “ugly” after leading Les Bleus to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in a fiercely contested FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash on Saturday. In sweltering conditions approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit, France were pushed into a physical battle by a determined Paraguay side that relied on aggressive defending and constant disruption.
Decisive penalty from Mbappe
Mbappe remained composed throughout before calmly converting the decisive 70th-minute penalty to send France into the quarter-finals, where Morocco await. “We knew what kind of match it would be,” Mbappe said. “We can also get our hands dirty. We know how to play ugly football if that’s what the game demands. They thought we would arrive in tuxedos, but we were ready for the fight.”
Mbappe’s tournament tally
The French captain’s strike was his seventh goal of the tournament and the 19th of his World Cup career, drawing him level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race while moving within one goal of the Argentine’s all-time World Cup scoring mark.
Post-match tensions
Tempers flared throughout the encounter, with several heated exchanges on the pitch before emotions spilled over after the final whistle when Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill admitted losing his temper after Mbappe declined a handshake. France coach Didier Deschamps praised his team’s discipline under pressure, while defender William Saliba summed up the afternoon succinctly: “We fought a battle, and we won the battle.”
Quarter-final clash
France will now face Morocco in a blockbuster quarter-final on Thursday.
