Overview
Tears of happiness rolled down the faces of Paraguay players when Jose Canale successfully converted the decisive penalty, helping his team defeat Germany 4-3 on penalties. Previously, the two teams drew 1-1 in 120 breathtaking minutes in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.
This victory helped La Albirroja create one of the biggest shocks in the history of World Cup knockout rounds. Before the tournament, Germany ranked 10th in the FIFA rankings, while Paraguay only ranked 41st.
After a heavy 1-4 defeat to the USA in the opening match, Paraguay has completely changed its appearance. Under the guidance of coach Gustavo Alfaro, the South American team is increasingly playing cohesively, disciplinedly and becoming an unbeatable opponent.
Since Alfaro took over the national team in August 2024, Paraguay has only lost one of the 12 World Cup qualifiers. In all competitions, they have also only suffered 5 defeats in the last 23 matches, besides 10 wins and 8 draws.
However, Paraguay's next challenge will be even more difficult. Their opponent in the round of 16 is France, a team that Paraguay has never defeated in five previous encounters, with a record of two draws and three losses.
The most memorable memory between the two teams is the match in the round of 16 of the 1998 World Cup, when Paraguay was only subdued by Laurent Blanc's golden goal in the 114th minute. This reunion is therefore also meaningful as an opportunity for Paraguay to reclaim their historical debt.
Meanwhile, the French team entered the match with extremely impressive form. Les Bleus are one of 3 teams, along with Mexico and Argentina, winning all matches since the beginning of the 2026 World Cup. They are also the team with the most goals in the tournament with 12 goals.
France's strength comes from a quality attack including Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola. In the round of 32, Mbappe continued to shine with a double to help the home team easily overcome Sweden 3-0.
That was also the match marking the return of coach Didier Deschamps after mourning his mother. The 57-year-old strategist, who was the captain of the French team that defeated Paraguay at the 1998 World Cup, also raised the record for the most wins of a coach at World Cups to 18.
Ranked FIFA number one in the world and one of the brightest candidates for the 2026 World Cup championship, France has won 9 out of the last 10 international matches in all competitions.
Since the 2018 World Cup, Les Bleus have also won 15 out of 18 matches at the biggest football festival on the planet, only drawing two and losing one.
Personnel situation
Paraguay is likely to be without central defender Omar Alderete in the match against France. The Sunderland player has not fully recovered from a knee injury and is predicted to continue to be absent.
On the French side, Deschamps does not face any more worrying injuries. Marcus Thuram is still having problems with his calf and his ability to play is still uncertain. Although he recovered in time, the Inter Milan striker is also unlikely to have a starting spot.
Expected lineup:
Paraguay: Gill, Caceres, G. Gomez, Canale, Alonso, Galarza, Cubas, D. Gomez, Almiron, Avalos, Enciso.
France: Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Dembele, Olise, Barcola, Mbappe.
The match between Paraguay and France takes place at 4:00 AM on July 5 (Vietnam time).
