French media call Paraguay's World Cup tactics a 'trap' and 'cold blood'

Paraguay narrowly missed a World Cup upset against France, ultimately being eliminated after Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty. Media reactions on both sides of the Atlantic highlighted starkly different perspectives on the match. French media largely focused on Paraguay's defensive tactics, with outlets like Le Monde and Le Figaro labeling their strategy a "trap" designed to deceive French players.

L'Equipe, meanwhile, titled its coverage "With a Cold Blood" and Le Parisien described Paraguay's approach as an "unsportsmanlike wall." These publications criticized the referee, Tantashev, for his perceived leniency. Le Parisien noted that Paraguayan players employed elbowing, time-wasting tactics, and feigned cramps under the referee's "complacent gaze."

L'Equipe also commented on Paraguay's deep defensive block and the impact of high temperatures on performance. Notably, they pointed out that no Paraguayan player received a yellow card, a statistic that held true for the entire 70 minutes Paraguay's goal remained unbreached. This disciplinary record echoed their performance against Nigeria in the 1998 World Cup in France.

In contrast, Paraguayan media celebrated their team's "resistance" and "fighting spirit." The newspaper ABC praised the "Albirroja" for fighting "to the last breath" and showing the character that allowed them to compete equally in the World Cup, acknowledging France's "hierarchy" in the end. Hoy emphasized the "South American rigor" and "Guaraní grit" displayed by Gustavo Alfaro's team, stating they made the French players "feel the rigor."

Despite the disappointment of elimination, ABC concluded that Paraguay, after a 16-year World Cup absence, departs with a "mark of character, commitment, and pride," even though they couldn't force extra time or achieve another historic upset.