France Set Up World Cup Quarter-Final Clash with Morocco After Narrow Win Over Paraguay

France Set Up World Cup Quarter-Final Clash with Morocco After Narrow Win Over Paraguay

By Niyi Busari 

 France booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after edging Paraguay 1-0 in their Round of 16 encounter on Sunday morning (Nigerian time), BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Kylian Mbappé scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the 70th minute after Paraguay's Diego Gómez brought down Désiré Doué inside the penalty area. Following a VAR review, the referee awarded the spot-kick, and Mbappé calmly converted to register his seventh goal of the tournament, moving level with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.

The victory secured France a quarter-final meeting with Morocco's Atlas Lions on Thursday, July 9, at Boston Stadium in Foxborough.

The match also rekindled memories of the sides' memorable Round of 16 meeting at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when Laurent Blanc scored a golden goal in the 114th minute to send France into the quarter-finals. France went on to win the tournament, defeating Brazil 3-0 in the final.

Historically, France have enjoyed the upper hand in meetings with Paraguay. Before Sunday's encounter, the two nations had met five times since 1958, with France winning three matches and drawing two. Les Bleus had scored 14 goals while conceding just two across those fixtures.

Elsewhere in the Round of 16, Brazil are scheduled to face Norway on Sunday, while England take on Mexico early on Monday. Later on Monday, Portugal will face Spain for the remaining quarter-final berth.