Kylian Mbappe moved level with Lionel Messi for most goals at this World Cup by scoring his seventh of the tournament with a penalty to defeat a fierce Paraguay side who made life very difficult for France in the extreme heat of Philadelphia.

France's Rayan Cherki also stated that Paraguay wanted to 'wage war' in their Round-of-16 matchup in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In the last 2026 World Cup match in Philadelphia, Paraguay played a style that has been seen many times before at the city’s football stadium. La Albirroja's physical approach in their 1-0 loss to France in the Round of 16 looked more like what might be seen on a Sunday in the fall from the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles,

Paraguay is in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup thanks to the heroics of Orlando Gill. The 26-year-old goalkeeper made two key saves during the penalty shootout on Monday to help beat Germany. Paraguay had not been to a World Cup since reaching the quarterfinals in 2010.

President Santiago Peña posted a decree on X saying, “The government cannot remain indifferent to this tremendous achievement.”

Paraguay and France meet Saturday in a Round of 16 World Cup match. Kickoff from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is set for 5 p.m. ET.

Paraguay fans in Asuncion watched in disappointment on Saturday (July 4) as France knocked Paraguay out of the World Cup with a 1-0 victory in a round of 16 match decided by a Kylian Mbappe penalty. In France,