France edges Paraguay to set up Morocco World Cup semifinal

France advanced to the 2026 World Cup semifinals after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay, a match where the favored French side struggled to break down a disciplined Paraguayan defense. Despite predictions of an "electric storm" from Paraguay's coach Gustavo Alfaro, the "Bleus" were largely contained by a tactical setup that frustrated their attacking prowess.

However, a moment of individual skill proved decisive. In the 70th minute, substitute Desiré Doué created an opening, drawing a foul from Diego Gómez in the penalty area. Kylian Mbappé converted the resulting penalty, scoring his seventh goal of the tournament and drawing level with Lionel Messi atop the top scorers' list. Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid, was one of the few French stars to shine in an otherwise subdued performance, with Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise making little impact.

"The way we played today shows we are not just a team that knows how to play offensive football," Mbappé stated after the match. "If we have to get our hands dirty, we get them dirty." The French team appeared unfazed by the 37-degree Celsius heat in Philadelphia during the game, a significant factor during a heatwave on the U.S. East Coast.

France's next challenge is a semifinal clash against Morocco on July 9 in Foxborough, near Boston. This sets up a rematch of their 2022 World Cup semifinal encounter, where France emerged victorious. Morocco will be seeking to avenge that loss and advance to their first-ever World Cup final.

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The way we played today shows we are not just a team that knows how to play offensive football. If we have to get our hands dirty, we get them dirty.