Kylian Mbappe Hits Back at Paraguay: France's Difficult Path to the Quarter-Finals

France national team and Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe reacted to the opponent's overly rough fouls after the World Cup Round of 16 match against Paraguay. In the match played in the sweltering heat of Philadelphia, the French won 1-0 and secured a place in the tournament's quarter-finals. Goal.com reports .

Kylian Mbappe, who converted a penalty in the 70th minute of the match, scored his seventh goal of the tournament. With this result, he drew level with Lionel Messi in the top scorer race. However, the match was remembered not only for the goals but also for the fierce battles on the pitch and the opponent's provocations. According to Goal.com, the Paraguay national team employed an extremely aggressive tactic throughout the game.

"We're also ready to get our hands dirty"

In an interview after the match, Kylian Mbappe emphasized that he was prepared for the opponent's "dirty" play. According to him, many people think of the France national team as a team that only plays beautiful football, but they can show character in difficult situations.

"We knew what kind of game was waiting for us. We also know how to get our hands dirty (dirty work), how to play ugly football. I think the opponents thought we'd come out onto the pitch in tuxedos, but we were ready for any battle," emphasized the France national team captain.

The 100-degree Fahrenheit (approximately 38 degrees Celsius) heat observed during the match also affected the players' nerves. In particular, there were several clashes between Mbappe and Paraguay midfielder Matias Galarza. The South Americans tried to play roughly against the French leader in almost every situation.

Brawl after the final whistle

Controversial situations continued even after the match ended. A verbal altercation broke out between members of both teams at the center of the pitch. Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill even struck Mbappe from behind with the ball. Later, Gill explained his action by saying that Mbappe didn't respond to his greeting and didn't shake hands.

Substitute Rayan Cherki also praised his team's courage. In his opinion, Didier Deschamps' players don't just rely on technical skill but can turn into real fighters when needed. "If they want to fight us, they'll get a worthy response," said Cherki.

After this victory, the France national team will face Morocco in the quarter-finals. According to experts, such physically demanding and battle-rich matches serve as a kind of endurance test for France ahead of the decisive stages of the tournament.