PHILADELPHIA – Here in the cradle of liberty, 250 years after the United States declared its independence, it was worth remembering the foreign country most instrumental in aiding that eventually successful quest.
That was France, which made its national soccer team’s appearance at Lincoln Financial Field in a World Cup round-of-16 game particularly and pleasantly appropriate.
Just as July 4 was worth celebrating, so were France’s efforts on the hot late afternoon/early evening in what became a rather unruly 1-0 round-of-16 win over Paraguay.
It was decided when Kylian Mbappe scored a 70th-minute penalty kick after teammate Desire Doue was tripped while dribbling through defenders, though it took video-assistant referee analysis to identify a clear foul that on-field referee Ilgiz Tantashev missed.
Even on a day when it failed to exhibit its typical offensive polish, France looked as worthy a potential champion as anyone in this wonderful quadrennial competition while dominating possession.
Nothing revolutionary about that.
“It’s a great pleasure to go to the quarterfinals. It was a tough game,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “But as I told the players, we had a lot of easy games so far so it’s good to get a tough one.”
The French were 1998 and 2018 World Cup champs and 2022 runners-up. Their roster is dotted with players who from August through May vividly demonstrate their brilliance for some of the world’s best club sides.
They then spend their summers periodically bringing glory to France. The dynamic likes of Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise make Les Blues as appealing to watch as any World Cup collection, so gifted are they in the game’s skills and how regularly they unleash them.
Generally speaking, they’ve positioned France to prevail on U.S. soil in the spirit of long-ago Frenchmen Lafayette and Rochembeau, whose military efforts sparked Colonial victories.
This was certainly a skirmish of the sporting variety, as Paraguay, with temperatures in the upper 90s, brought the heat on the defensive end.
Paraguay, which lost its World Cup opener to the U.S. but stunned Germany on penalty kicks in the round of 32, frustrated France with its 5-man back line early, especially limiting Mbappe’s touches. It earned them a 0-0 halftime deadlock. France had first-half opportunities, but no near misses.
After France scored, Paraguay’s frustration showed in several instances of overly physical play, even cheap shots that often went unpunished. Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill did thwart back-to-back late Mbappe shots and Paraguay actually had decent chances to equalize.
Postgame disagreements between players and some from Paraguay confronting the referees undermined the competitive spirit. Those type of July 4 fireworks weren’t so welcomed.
“Players were expecting this game,” Deschamps said. “I don’t want to criticize Paraguay. Each team played the way they want.”
Paraguay is called for a penalty on this challenge pic.twitter.com/ELw9OFy6HC
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 4, 2026
But the better team won, which is not guaranteed in soccer because goals can be so difficult to score, as the French found out Saturday.
France’s presence here greatly enhanced the six World Cup games played in Philadelphia, which proved to be a deserving host. The French also had a group game here in which they blanked overmatched Iraq 3-0.
So off France goes now to a July 9 quarterfinal assignment at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, versus Morocco.
The fact Philadelphia was the site of its sendoff on July 4 was fitting and made it a grand occasion.
If any #BlueHens at @UDBlueHens are curious 👀 that logo on the French World Cup soccer ⚽️ team jerseys is the Gallic rooster, a proud symbol of France 🇫🇷 for centuries pic.twitter.com/IZP98JvyMV
— kevin tresolini (@kevintresolini) July 4, 2026
More on World Cup
Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Philly is fitting site for France to prevail in World Cup on July 4
About the Author
