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Paraguay vs France Result: France 1-0 Paraguay — Mbappe Penalty Ends Heroic Paraguay’s World Cup Dream

July 4, 2026 by Hemim Sk

Paraguay vs France Result: France 1-0 Paraguay — Mbappe Penalty Finally Ends the Run of the Team That Shocked the World

Paraguay vs France final score was Paraguay 0-1 France in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16. Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. Paraguay — who eliminated Germany on penalties in the Round of 32 — held France for 70 minutes before Mbappe decided the match.

Published: July 5, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

Paraguay vs France result: Paraguay 0-1 France.

For seventy minutes, the team that eliminated Germany on penalties and became the story of the Round of 32 did it again. Paraguay held France — the tournament favourites, the side with Mbappé, Dembélé, Doué and the best front line at the 2026 World Cup — to nothing for the first hour and ten minutes of their Round of 16 match at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Orlando Gill — the goalkeeper who saved Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade in the penalty shootout against Germany, the man who became Paraguay’s World Cup hero overnight — made six saves in 70 minutes against France’s most sustained attacking pressure. He kept Mbappé out. He kept Olise out. He kept Dembélé out. He was the reason Paraguay could dream.

Then Mbappé won a penalty in the 70th minute and converted it himself. France 1-0. Paraguay pushed for the equaliser they deserved from the performance but could not find it. The final score was 0-1. France are through to the quarter-finals. Paraguay are going home — but with their heads elevated, their reputation transformed and a World Cup story that started against Germany and ended against France, both times with the kind of courage that only the best underdog stories deliver.

Paraguay vs France — Match Facts

Final Score: Paraguay 0-1 France
Date: Friday July 4, 2026
Venue: Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Round of 16 — World Cup 2026

Goal:
France — K. Mbappé 70′ (Penalty)

Man of the Match: Orlando Gill (Paraguay goalkeeper — 7 saves)

France advance to the Quarter-Finals.
Paraguay are eliminated from World Cup 2026.

How the Match Unfolded

The tactical setup was immediately visible from the first whistle. Paraguay manager Guillermo Barros Schelotto — who had studied France’s 4-1 win over Sweden and the way Sweden had briefly threatened France through direct running in behind — set up his side in a deep, organised 4-4-2 block designed to deny France the space between the lines that Mbappé, Dembélé and Doué need to operate at their most dangerous.

France, under Deschamps, began as expected — patient possession, probing combinations on both sides, looking for the moment where the Paraguay block would open. Mbappé dropped deep more than usual, trying to receive between Paraguay’s midfield and defensive lines rather than running in behind. Dembélé’s directness from the right created France’s best early moments.

But Gill was there. Every time.

His save from Mbappé’s 23rd minute strike — diving to his right to push a low, powerful effort around the post — was the moment Paraguay’s extraordinary goalkeeper demonstrated that his Germany performance was not a one-night miracle. His save from Olise in the 38th minute — a reflex stop from point-blank range after a France corner fell to the Bayern Munich forward eight yards from goal — was even better.

Half time: Paraguay 0-0 France. The crowd inside Lincoln Financial Field — a large Paraguayan diaspora contingent making themselves heard against France’s travelling support — was electric.

The second half continued in the same pattern. France pushed. Paraguay absorbed. Gill saved. Each French attack met by the organised, disciplined defensive block that had frustrated Germany for 90 minutes and extra time, and was now doing the same to the tournament favourites.

70′ — GOAL FRANCE — KYLIAN MBAPPÉ (PENALTY)

The moment that decided the match came not from sustained French quality but from a single decision in the penalty area. Mbappé, driving into the left side of Paraguay’s box, went down under a challenge from Paraguay’s central defender. The referee pointed immediately to the spot.

Paraguay protested. The replays showed contact — debatable in its severity, but sufficient under the letter of the current rules. VAR reviewed and confirmed the decision.

Mbappé stepped up. He had scored a penalty against Norway in the group stage. He had scored five goals in this tournament. He drove it low to the right. Gill dived the wrong way. France 1-0.

The remaining twenty minutes became a test of Paraguay’s spirit against France’s experience. Paraguay — reduced to throwing everything forward in search of the equaliser that would force extra time — created two genuine opportunities. A headed effort from Miguel Almirón in the 78th minute that flashed narrowly wide. A driven cross from the right in the 84th minute that Francisco Canales could not quite connect with cleanly.

Gill, at the other end, made his seventh save of the match in the 86th minute — this time from Mbappé’s close-range effort after a swift French counter-attack. Seven saves. Against France. After six saves against Germany. This is who Orlando Gill is.

The final whistle confirmed France 1-0 Paraguay. The tournament favourites squeezed through. The team that shocked the world finally ran out of saves.

Match Analysis — Paraguay’s Extraordinary Journey Ends

There is a case to be made that Paraguay played better in this match than they did against Germany. The same disciplined defensive organisation. The same tactical intelligence in denying space between the lines. The same individual heroics from Gill. But where against Germany the match went to penalties and Paraguay’s goalkeeper saved two kicks, against France the match was settled by a single penalty in the 70th minute — a moment of Mbappé quality that Paraguay had no answer for.

Deschamps was measured in his post-match assessment: “Paraguay were very well organised. Orlando Gill made incredible saves again. We knew this would be hard. A penalty decided it and we are lucky that Kylian is Kylian.”

That final line — “we are lucky that Kylian is Kylian” — is the most honest thing any manager has said in the 2026 World Cup about the decisive factor in their team’s victories. France have not played brilliantly in this tournament. They have played well enough, and then Mbappé or Dembélé or the front line has produced the moment that matters. Against Paraguay, it was a penalty. Against Sweden, it was Mbappé’s 45th minute strike. Against Norway’s rotation side, it was Dembélé’s hat-trick in 32 minutes.

France’s tournament is not the story of an aesthetically dominating team. It is the story of a team with the best front line in the world that finds a way to win when winning matters.

For Paraguay, the legacy of this World Cup campaign deserves proper recognition. They were 40th in the world. They eliminated the fourth-time world champions Germany on penalties in the Round of 32 — saving two kicks through Gill’s heroics, recovering from Balbuena’s missed spot-kick and winning through José Canale’s composure. They then held the tournament favourites France goalless for 70 minutes in the Round of 16 before a single penalty settled it.

Miguel Almirón — who has been Paraguay’s most energetic and influential player throughout, tracking back, pressing, creating — played his final World Cup match in Philadelphia and left as a hero. At 33, this was almost certainly his last tournament appearance. He gave everything. Paraguay gave everything. Sometimes that is not quite enough.

Mbappé’s Golden Boot Chase — Five Goals and Counting

Mbappé’s penalty takes him to six goals for the tournament — level with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings. Both have six goals from five matches. Both are in the quarter-finals. The individual race that has been building since the group stage has reached its most dramatic point.

Messi vs Mbappé. Golden Boot. World Cup quarter-finals. The same two players. The same race. The same tournament. Two years after Mbappé’s eight goals in Qatar pipped Messi’s seven. Now level on six with two matches minimum remaining.

What Happens Next for France

France’s quarter-final opponent will be confirmed after the remaining Round of 16 matches. Their position in the bracket puts them against one of the matches from the right side of the draw — potentially Brazil, Norway or Colombia depending on results. Deschamps will have two or three days to prepare.

His squad is healthy, his front line is in form and the penalty victory over Paraguay means his key players — Mbappé, Dembélé, Tchouaméni — have not been overextended in what was ultimately a controlled, if unconvincing, 70-minute defensive exercise followed by a single decisive moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Paraguay vs France final score?
Paraguay vs France final score was Paraguay 0-1 France in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Kylian Mbappé scored from the penalty spot in the 70th minute.

Who scored for France against Paraguay?
Kylian Mbappé scored France’s only goal from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. It was his sixth goal of the 2026 World Cup tournament, drawing him level with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings.

How many saves did Orlando Gill make against France?
Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill made seven saves against France in the Round of 16 — continuing the form that saw him save two penalties against Germany in the Round of 32 shootout.

Did Paraguay have any chances against France?
Yes — Paraguay created genuine opportunities, including Miguel Almirón’s headed effort in the 78th minute that went narrowly wide and a driven cross in the 84th minute that Francisco Canales could not connect with. Orlando Gill also forced France to earn every attempt rather than simply creating freely.

Was Mbappe’s penalty against Paraguay controversial?
The penalty was awarded after Mbappé went down under a challenge in the penalty area in the 70th minute. Paraguay protested and VAR reviewed the decision, ultimately confirming the award. The contact was present but its severity was debated by pundits watching the match.

How many World Cup goals does Mbappé have in 2026?
Kylian Mbappé has six goals at the 2026 World Cup — the same total as Lionel Messi. Both players are level at the top of the Golden Boot standings heading into the quarter-finals.

Who did Paraguay eliminate before facing France?
Paraguay eliminated Germany in the Round of 32, winning 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Orlando Gill saved Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade’s penalties in the shootout. It was the first time in World Cup history Germany had lost a penalty shootout.

Conclusion

Paraguay vs France result: Paraguay 0-1 France. Mbappé penalty. Gill with seven saves. The team that shocked the world for one more night before France’s individual quality proved the difference.

Paraguay beat Germany. Paraguay held France for 70 minutes. Paraguay leave this World Cup as the most respected underdog story of the entire tournament — a 40th-ranked nation that played with the organisation, courage and goalkeeping heroics of a team that deserved to go further than they did.

Mbappé is on six goals. Messi is on six goals. France are in the quarter-finals. The tournament is reaching its defining phase.

The most exciting World Cup in history is still getting better.

Read next: Canada 0-3 Morocco — Morocco Reach Back-to-Back World Cup Quarter-Finals

Related: France World Cup 2026 Schedule — Les Bleus Complete Campaign
Related: Paraguay World Cup 2026 Schedule — La Albirroja’s Historic Campaign
Related: Germany 1-1 Paraguay — The Shock That Started It All

Did Paraguay deserve more from this World Cup — and can anyone stop France and Mbappé from reaching the final? Tell us in the comments below

USA 4-1 Paraguay: Balogun Brace and Reyna Seal Stunning Home Opener as USMNT Make a Statement at SoFi Stadium

June 13, 2026June 13, 2026 by Hemim Sk

USA beat Paraguay 4-1 in their World Cup 2026 opener at SoFi Stadium Los Angeles. Balogun scored twice, Reyna added a late fourth as the USMNT delivered a statement performance in Group D on June 12.

Published: June 13, 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

The United States sent an enormous message to every team at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Friday night. In front of a sold-out SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles — 70,000 fans roaring them on — the USMNT dismantled Paraguay 4-1 in one of the most complete and commanding home World Cup performances in American football history.

Folarin Balogun scored twice. An own goal from Bobadilla opened the scoring just seven minutes in. Giovanni Reyna added a stunning late fourth deep into stoppage time. Paraguay’s Mauricio pulled one back in the 73rd minute but it barely dented an American performance that was dominant, clinical and exactly what Mauricio Pochettino demanded from his players.

USA top Group D with three points. They are one of the stories of the World Cup 2026 opening weekend. SoFi Stadium witnessed something special.

USA 4-1 Paraguay — Match Facts

Date: Friday June 12 / Saturday June 13 early hours, 2026
Venue: Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium), Inglewood, California
Attendance: 70,000 — SOLD OUT
Group: D

Goals:
USA — D. Bobadilla 7′ (OG — own goal)
USA — F. Balogun 31′
USA — F. Balogun 45+5′
Paraguay — Mauricio 73′
USA — G. Reyna 90+8′

Final Score: USA 4-1 Paraguay

Group D Standings After Day 2:
1. USA — 3 points (GD +3)
2. Australia — 0 point
3. Turkiye — 0 point
4. Paraguay — 0 points (GD -3)

How the Match Unfolded

SoFi Stadium was electric from the opening whistle. 70,000 fans — the largest crowd at any World Cup 2026 match outside the Azteca — created an atmosphere that shook the building. American flags, chants, drumbeats. Los Angeles had never seen anything like this for football.

7′ — GOAL USA — OWN GOAL BOBADILLA

The fastest goal scored by the USA at any World Cup in history came just seven minutes in. American pressure on Paraguay’s defence from the opening minutes created chaos and Bobadilla — Paraguay’s defender — turned the ball into his own net under pressure. SoFi Stadium exploded.

The own goal was not lucky. It was the direct result of the USA pressing immediately from the first whistle exactly as Pochettino had drilled them. Paraguay had no time to settle. They were behind before the match had properly started.

31′ — GOAL USA — FOLARIN BALOGUN

The second goal was all class. Folarin Balogun — the AS Monaco striker born in New York, developed in England, fulfilling his destiny at a home World Cup — received the ball inside the penalty area, took one touch to set himself and finished with the composure of a player who has been scoring goals like this all season in European football.

31 minutes. 2-0 to the USA. SoFi Stadium was in full voice. Paraguay looked shattered.

45+5′ — GOAL USA — FOLARIN BALOGUN — BRACE

The moment Balogun announced himself to the entire world. In first half stoppage time, with Paraguay already struggling, Balogun made it three-nil with a second goal of the half. His movement, his sharpness and his finishing quality across both goals was outstanding — the performance of a player who had been waiting for this stage his entire career.

Half time: USA 3-0 Paraguay. The scoreline told its own story.

73′ — GOAL PARAGUAY — MAURICIO

Paraguay pulled one back through Mauricio in the 73rd minute — a consolation goal that gave their travelling fans something to celebrate and temporarily reduced the deficit to 3-1. But it barely changed the story of the match. USA were dominant throughout and the scoreline reflected it accurately.

90+8′ — GOAL USA — GIOVANNI REYNA

Deep into stoppage time, Giovanni Reyna — the Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder who has spent years trying to recapture his early promise after injuries — scored a stunning late fourth to complete the rout. His finish was emphatic. His celebration was joyful. SoFi Stadium gave him the reception of a hero.

USA 4-1 Paraguay. Full time. One of the best nights in American football history.

Match Analysis — What This Result Means

This was not just a good result. This was a statement.

Four goals against a South American nation that knows how to defend. Three goals in the first half — a half that showed a level of attacking intensity that most World Cup fans did not expect from the USA at this stage of the tournament. A clean sheet for most of the match. A cohesive team performance that showed Pochettino has genuinely transformed this squad into something special.

Balogun was the player of the match — two goals, constant movement and the kind of clinical finishing that puts him among the most dangerous strikers at the entire 2026 World Cup after Day 2. His story — born in New York, raised in London, developed through Arsenal’s academy, finding his form at Monaco — is exactly the kind of American football development story that the 1994 World Cup made possible. Now he is delivering on the stage that tournament helped create.

Giovanni Reyna’s goal in stoppage time was important beyond the scoreline. The Dortmund midfielder has had a difficult few years with injuries that have prevented him from showing his best form consistently. His goal in front of 70,000 fans at SoFi Stadium was a moment of liberation — the kind of performance that rebuilds a career’s narrative.

Christian Pulisic — notably absent from the scoresheet — was still one of the USA’s most important players. His movement, his pressing and his link play created space that Balogun and Reyna exploited. At a World Cup the captain does not always need to score to be the best player on the pitch.

Paraguay were not at their best. Their defending in the first half was below the level that their pre-tournament preparation suggested. But the USA’s pressing intensity — coming from every player on the pitch simultaneously — would have caused any team problems. This was a Pochettino tactical masterclass as much as a Paraguay failure.

Balogun — The Story Nobody Expected

Before this World Cup, the debate among American football fans was whether Balogun would start ahead of other options in the USA attack. His Monaco form was excellent but his international record was inconsistent.

Two goals in his first World Cup match — at his home tournament, in Los Angeles, in front of 70,000 people — answers that debate definitively. Balogun is the USA’s striker. He is one of the best strikers at this tournament. And if he continues performing at this level the USMNT’s run in this World Cup will go further than anyone predicted.

Group D — What Happens Next

USA vs Australia — June 19, Lumen Field, Seattle
As covered in our USA World Cup 2026 Schedule, a win here secures the USA’s place in the Round of 32 with a match to spare. After this performance against Paraguay, Australia will have serious questions about how to stop Balogun and the American attack.

Paraguay vs Turkiye — June 19, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
A must-win for Paraguay. As covered in our Paraguay World Cup 2026 Schedule, Almiron’s side must beat Turkiye to keep their qualification hopes alive. Three points here keeps them in the group.

Australia vs Turkiye — already played, drew 1-1 (from Day 3) Prediction

Group D Full Standings

1. USA — 3 points, GD +3
2. Australia — 1 point, GD 0
3. Turkiye — 1 point, GD 0
4. Paraguay — 0 points, GD -3

Need To Know

What was the USA vs Paraguay score at World Cup 2026?
USA beat Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup 2026 Group D at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12. Goals from Bobadilla OG (7′), Folarin Balogun (31′, 45+5′) and Giovanni Reyna (90+8′). Mauricio scored for Paraguay in the 73rd minute.

Who scored for USA against Paraguay?
Folarin Balogun scored twice — in the 31st and 45+5th minutes. An own goal from Bobadilla opened the scoring in the 7th minute. Giovanni Reyna added a late fourth in the 90+8th minute.

Did Christian Pulisic score against Paraguay?
Christian Pulisic did not score against Paraguay but was influential throughout — his pressing, movement and link play helped create the space for Balogun and Reyna to score. He was USA’s captain and one of their most important players despite not appearing on the scoresheet.

Who is Folarin Balogun?
Folarin Balogun is a 23-year-old striker born in New York City and raised in London, England. He developed through Arsenal’s academy before moving to AS Monaco in France where he has been one of Ligue 1’s most consistent scorers. He chose to represent the United States national team despite being eligible for England. His two goals against Paraguay in his first World Cup match have made him one of the tournament’s early stars.

What is USA’s position in Group D after beating Paraguay?
USA top Group D with three points after their 4-1 win over Paraguay. Australia are second with one point (drew with Turkiye). Turkiye are third with one point. Paraguay are fourth with zero points and a goal difference of minus three.

Where was USA vs Paraguay played?
USA vs Paraguay was played at SoFi Stadium — known as Los Angeles Stadium during the World Cup — in Inglewood, California. The stadium holds 70,000 fans and was sold out for the USMNT’s World Cup 2026 home opener.

Conclusion

USA 4-1 Paraguay. Balogun with two goals. Reyna with a late stunner. SoFi Stadium with 70,000 fans witnessing one of the great nights in American football history.

The United States are one of the early stories of the 2026 World Cup. Their squad is the best in their history. Their manager has built a system that gets the best from every player. Their home crowd is ready to carry them deep into this tournament.

June 19 against Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle. Win that and the USA are through to the Round of 32. After tonight, nobody is doubting they can do it.

The World Cup 2026 is just getting started. And the USA have arrived.

Read next: World Cup 2026 Day 3 Preview — Brazil vs Morocco, Haiti vs Scotland, Qatar vs Switzerland — June 13

Related: USA World Cup 2026 Schedule — Every USMNT Match, Date and Time

Related: Canada 1-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina — World Cup 2026 Day 2 Match Report

Was USA’s 4-1 win over Paraguay the best performance by any team so far at World Cup 2026 — and how far can Balogun and this USMNT squad go? Tell us in the comments below