Deschamps. Paraguay used all tricks and asked the players to protect Mbappe

Deschamps criticized Paraguay’s style of play

France coach Didier Deschamps said his side faced a physical challenge in their World Cup 2026 round of 16 clash with Paraguay, expressing concern for star player Kylian Mbappe after the game turned into a “brutal battle” on the pitch.

France secured their place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win thanks to Mbappe’s second-half penalty in a match that saw repeated stoppages and was played in high heat, while Paraguay relied on hard hitting and tactical errors to stop the French style of play.

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Deschamps clarified in the press statements reported by the agency ReutersHe asked for stronger players to protect the captain in the final minutes as Paraguay began to press for an equaliser.

“I asked the bigger players to stand around Killian at the end because they were going to knock him to the ground. It wasn’t easy. They used all possible tricks. It’s not the type of football that attracts fans to the pitch, but they defended well.”

He added: “The matches against these teams from South America are always difficult.”

For his part, Mbappe confirmed that the French national team is fully prepared for this type of physical match and that the team has proven its ability to play in the way imposed by the opponent.

The “Real” star said: “We knew what kind of game we were going to play. If we have to play hard, we are capable of it… We can play ugly football. They thought we would come in formal suits, but we were present (physically).

With this victory, the French team booked a date with Morocco in the quarter-finals after the “Atlas Lions” defeated Canada (3-0).

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