France booked their place in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Paraguay in Philadelphia, in a match defined by physicality and extreme heat.
Kylian Mbappé scored the decisive second-half penalty to send Les Bleus into a highly anticipated meeting with Morocco in the next round.
France did not display their usual attacking fluency, as Paraguay forced a tight and bruising contest with constant pressure and physical duels.
The French side showed it could adapt to that type of match, accepting the physical battle rather than relying only on possession and technical superiority.
The win carries a warning before the Morocco clash: France advanced, but the match exposed the need for more varied solutions against compact and physically strong opponents.