Deschamps: France 'could have done more' but credits Paraguay after tense World Cup win

France advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay, a match that saw Kylian Mbappé convert a second-half penalty to break the deadlock. The win, however, came at the cost of a physically demanding encounter that left the French camp with lingering tensions.

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I'm not going to criticize Paraguay, each team plays as they want, although I would have spared myself the insults from some of the opponents, especially at certain moments.

Following the match, French coach Didier Deschamps analyzed the team's performance, acknowledging Paraguay's competitive spirit while also voicing his displeasure with the game's intense physicality and what he perceived as unsportsmanlike behavior from some opponents. "I'm not going to criticize Paraguay, each team plays as they want, although I would have spared myself the insults from some of the opponents, especially at certain moments," Deschamps stated, indicating the high-strung nature of the contest.

Deschamps recognized that his team could have "done more" but stressed that Paraguay deserved credit, particularly for their ability to eliminate Germany. He described the game as one where France had to "get into the mud," a stark contrast to the elegant play some might have expected. The coach also valued the psychological boost the win provided, especially for players new to the World Cup stage.

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We could have done more, but we must not take credit away from Paraguay. They eliminated Germany, which also has significant offensive potential. They qualified, and as long as it's zero to zero, they think it's normal that they can take the step and be in the quarterfinals, so it was a game of getting into the mud, to use another word.

Despite a post-match scuffle involving both teams, with Mbappé at the center of some altercations, Deschamps defended his star player. He asserted that Mbappé's public image does not reflect the reality of his character. The coach downplayed the final confrontation, emphasizing that the most crucial outcome was avoiding injuries or cards.

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He has an image for some abroad that is not the reality at all.

France will now travel to Boston to face Morocco in the quarterfinals. Deschamps acknowledged Morocco as "one of the best teams in the World Cup," setting the stage for another challenging match.

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The most important thing was that there were no problems, losing players or receiving cards.