Kylian Mbappe Takes Jibe At Paraguay's Game Plan During RO16 Clash At FIFA World Cup 2026: 'We Can Get Our Hands Dirty'

FIFA World Cup 2026: France captain Kylian Mbappé slammed Paraguay’s game plan during the Round of 16 clash at the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Philadelphia Stadium on Sunday, July 5.

The 2018 World Cup winner secured a narrow 1-0 victory after converting a penalty in the 70th minute. Les Bleus dominated possession with 76 percent but managed only five shots on target, with Paraguay’s disciplined defense preventing a single effort on goal in the first half.

The contest was marked by flashpoints. Midway through the opening half, Mbappé reacted to a challenge from Andrés Cubas, sparking a mass confrontation between both sets of players. France finished with three yellow cards, while Paraguay, despite committing 13 fouls, escaped without a booking.

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Mbappe Slams Paraguay's Game Plan

Speaking after the match, Mbappé stressed that France are not limited to attacking football. He emphasized that Les Bleus are ready to battle hard when required.

"I think we knew what kind of match we were going to have, but I think today it's very good. The match we had, how we played it. We showed that we weren't just a team that knew how to play offensive football. If we have to get our hands dirty ('put our hands in the sh*t), we're going to get our hands dirty, sorry for the expression. We don't have a problem with that," Mbappe said.

The 27-year-old joked that Paraguay expected France to play in tuxedos. He further affirmed that France was better than Paraguay in the game.

"They thought we were going to come playing in tuxedos, that we were just going to come and do beautiful moves, one-twos. We know how to play dirty football, too. And we did it today, we won, and even in that, we were better than them," he added.

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France To Play Morocco In Quarter-Final

With the win, France advance to face Morocco in the quarter-final at Boston Stadium on Friday, July 10.