France captain Kylian Mbappe said his side proved they are much more than just an entertaining attacking team after grinding out a hard-fought win over Paraguay in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, insisting Les Bleus are equally capable of winning a physical and scrappy battle if needed.
Speaking after France sealed their place in the quarter-finals, Mbappe said the team’s display against Paraguay showed they could adapt to whatever the occasion demanded.
“If we have to get our hands dirty, we’ll do it,” Mbappe said in the post-match interview.
“They thought we’d come in tuxedos, playing pretty football with one-twos and attacking moves. But we know how to play ugly football too. We did that today, we won, and even in that kind of game we were better than them.”
Paraguay vs France, FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16: Highlights | Report
Paraguay turned the knockout clash into a scrappy affair, repeatedly trying to break France’s rhythm and draw the players into confrontations. Mbappe, however, said the French squad had anticipated exactly that kind of contest.
“We knew the kind of match we were going to have. Today we showed that we’re not just a team that knows how to play attacking football.”
BEAT THEM AT THEIR OWN GAME
The Real Madrid forward also brushed aside Paraguay’s attempts to unsettle France during the closing stages of the match, saying every team has its own way of competing.
“That’s their football. That’s the way they play,” Mbappe said.
“Everyone uses the weapons they have. There’s no right or wrong way to play football. There’s only one way, and that’s to win.”
“They tried to beat us that way, but we beat them at their own game.”
France eventually came through one of their sternest tests of the tournament to move into the last eight, showing a side of their game that has often been overshadowed by their attacking quality.
MOROCCO NEXT
France will now take on Morocco in the quarter-finals, with the tie set to pit Mbappe against close friend and former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Achraf Hakimi.
Mbappe revealed Hakimi may have already reached out after the match but said friendships will be put on hold once the two teams step onto the pitch.
“I think he’s already texted me, I haven’t checked yet,” Mbappe said.
“We know Morocco are a very good team and we’re very happy to play against them. We’ll give everything to continue our journey.”
France head into the last-eight clash with momentum on their side, and if Mbappe’s post-match remarks are anything to go by, Didier Deschamps’ men are prepared to win however the game demands.
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