PHILADELPHIA: Kylian Mbappé scored his 19th FIFA World Cup goal as France secured 1-0 victory over Paraguay, booking a place in the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive tournament.
Les Bleus will now face Morocco in the last eight on Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Playing under an extreme heat warning, with temperatures close to 100°F (38°C), France found it difficult to break down a resilient Paraguay side before Mbappé made the difference from the penalty spot in the 70th minute.
The penalty was awarded after a VAR review determined that Diego Gómez had tripped a French attacker inside the box. Mbappé calmly converted with a stuttering run-up, netting his 19th goal in as many World Cup appearances.
The strike moved the French captain to within one goal of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who holds the record with 20 World Cup goals. Mbappé and Messi have each scored seven times at the 2026 tournament, leaving them tied at the top of the Golden Boot standings.
France’s narrow victory was witnessed by thousands of supporters dressed in the nation’s colours, adding to the festive atmosphere in Philadelphia, where the United States marked the 250th anniversary of its founding on July 4.
Mbappé won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, although France were defeated by Messi’s Argentina in the final.
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