France are moving on at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Paraguay made sure Les Bleus had to fight for every inch.

Playing in extreme heat in Philadelphia, France escaped with a hard-fought 1-0 victory thanks to a second-half penalty from Kylian Mbappé. The goal pulled the French superstar level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race and proved enough to end Paraguay’s impressive World Cup run.

This was far from the free-flowing France many expected. Paraguay stayed compact, physical and organized, frustrating the tournament favourites for long stretches. After previously eliminating Germany in the Round of 32, the South Americans arrived with confidence and showed they were not intimidated by France’s star-studded lineup.

The breakthrough finally came in the 64th minute when substitute Désiré Doué attacked the Paraguay defence and was brought down inside the box. After a VAR review, the penalty was awarded, and Mbappé calmly converted.

The match grew increasingly tense, with several confrontations and heavy challenges as Paraguay attempted to disrupt France’s rhythm. After the final whistle, Mbappé acknowledged the physical battle, saying France had shown they could win in different ways — not only with attacking football.

Despite the loss, Paraguay leave the tournament after making noise on the world stage, highlighted by their stunning elimination of Germany.

France now advance to a massive quarter-final showdown against Morocco, with Mbappé continuing his chase for the Golden Boot and more World Cup history.