PHILADELPHIA (AP) 鈥� In the last 2026 match in Philadelphia, Paraguay played a style that has been seen many times before at the city鈥檚 football stadium.
La Albirroja’s physical approach in the Round of 16 looked more like what might be seen on a Sunday in the fall from the NFL鈥檚 Philadelphia Eagles, who play their home games at Lincoln Financial Field.
Eagles coach Nick Siranni might have liked what he saw. Les Bleus sure didn鈥檛.
鈥淚 had never played a match like this, with so many hits,鈥� France midfielder Manu Kon茅 said. 鈥淚 mean, cheap shots, shoves in the back. So, yes, it was complicated.鈥�
Paraguay seemed to target star forward Kylian Mbapp茅, in the 70th minute.
Andr茅s Cubas grabbed Mbapp茅 in the offensive third, resulting in mass confrontation in the 35th minute. Later in the first half, Matias Galarza made contact with Mbapp茅 off the ball, sending him sprawling to the turf. And in the 77th minute, Juan Jos茅 C谩ceres kicked the France forward in the right shin. None of these fouls resulted in yellow cards.
In fact, France received the only three yellow cards issued during the match. Paraguay got one after the final whistle for dissent toward the referee.
Paraguay鈥檚 tactics came as no surprise to its opponent.
鈥淲e knew what kind of match it was going to be,鈥� Mbapp茅 said. 鈥淲e can also get our hands dirty. We know how to do it. We know how to play ugly football. Guess they were thinking we were going to show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that kind of game, we were better than them.鈥�
Things remained heated 鈥� both figuratively and literally, with the game played in scorching temperatures 鈥� after the match. Players from both sides converged near the center circle, and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill threw a ball at Mbapp茅鈥檚 back.
鈥淚 tried to shake his hand, but since he didn鈥檛 pay me any attention, I lost my temper,鈥� Gill said.
Tempers weren鈥檛 exactly under control during the match, either. La Albirroja planned to make it tough.
鈥淔rom the very first moment, we set out to make our presence felt on the pitch 鈥� to play hard,鈥� Gill said. 鈥淚f the ball gets through, the man doesn鈥檛. And, honestly, I think the team handled itself well.鈥�
France felt otherwise.
鈥淭hey pull out every trick in the book,鈥� France coach Didier Deschamps said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the kind of football that draws people to the stadium. Each team played the way they want. But there were insults from the other bench that I could do without.鈥�
There also appeared to be bad words flying on the pitch, with Mbapp茅 and Galarza verbally sparring at one point.
It seemed, at times, as if the referee could have used some yellow flags, like in American football, in addition to yellow cards.
鈥淲e fought a battle,鈥� France鈥檚 William Saliba said. 鈥淲e won the battle.鈥�
___
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
