The final World Cup match in Philadelphia saw Paraguay employing a familiar, physical style in their 1-0 loss to France during the Round of 16. The match, held at the home stadium of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, mirrored the physicality often witnessed in American football. Eagles coach Nick Siranni might have appreciated this approach, but France certainly did not.
“I had never played a match like this, with so many hits,” stated France midfielder Manu Koné. He described the game as involving “cheap shots” and “shoves in the back,” making it challenging for them.
Paraguay’s efforts seemed focused on limiting star forward Kylian Mbappé, who scored the decisive goal from a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Earlier incidents included Andrés Cubas grabbing Mbappé, causing a collective confrontation in the 35th minute. Matias Galarza also had off-the-ball contact with him, and Juan José Cáceres kicked Mbappé in the shin in the second half. Surprisingly, these instances did not result in yellow cards. France received three yellow cards, while Paraguay secured one post-match for dissent.
Mbappé remarked on the anticipated tactics: “We knew what kind of match it was going to be. We can also get our hands dirty. We know how to play ugly football. We were ready, and even at that kind of game, we were better than them.”
After the intense match played in searing heat, tensions flared further. Players from both teams gathered, with Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill throwing a ball at Mbappé’s back. Gill explained, “I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper.”
From the beginning, Paraguay’s strategy was clear. “From the very first moment, we set out to make our presence felt on the pitch — to play hard,” commented Gill. “If the ball gets through, the man doesn’t. And, honestly, I think the team handled itself well.”
France viewed things differently. Their coach Didier Deschamps criticized Paraguay’s approach, stating, “It’s not the kind of football that draws people to the stadium. Each team played the way they want, but there were insults from the other bench that I could do without.”
The match was not only physical but verbal, with insults exchanged between players like Mbappé and Galarza. France’s defender, William Saliba, summed up the event, “We fought a battle. We won the battle.”
Leave a Reply