Opponent committed 13 fouls without a single yellow card? Mbappe unafraid of the hunt, France refuses to be upset.

Written by Han Bing. Under the scorching 38°C heat at Philadelphia Stadium, 68,000 spectators witnessed not a "normal match" but an organized hunt by Paraguay against Mbappe.

The Real Madrid star was not only repeatedly fouled by different Paraguayan players but also hit by a ball from Paraguay's goalkeeper Hill after the game. Of course, besides Mbappe as the primary target, Paraguay's physical tactics were indiscriminately applied to Upamecano, Kounde, and Olise, with faking injuries, petty tricks, and active provocations... Paraguay tried to anger all French players including Mbappe, hoping to repeat the incident from the 2006 World Cup final.

Goals and victory are the most powerful response, as Mbappe said after the match: "We don't just play attacking football; if we need to fight and compete, we also know how to play 'dirty'. The point is we won, and we are better than them."

The tension of this match began before kickoff with a war of words between French Football Association President Diallo and Paraguay's legendary goalkeeper Chilavert. Chilavert called the French team an "African team" on social media, which Diallo condemned as "racist remarks". During the game, as The Guardian noted, Paraguay's "dirtiness" forced France to "take off their tuxedos" and go toe-to-toe with the South American opponents, turning the match into constant fouls, arguments, and physical confrontations.

In the 35th minute of the first half, Mbappe was brought down by Cubas while dribbling, sparking a massive brawl. The referee surprisingly did not penalize either side. Sensing the lenient refereeing, the Paraguayans became more "excited", and the game deviated from pure competition into a continuous period of confrontation. In the 38th minute, Mbappe was hit in the chest by a "karate chop" from Galarza while dribbling. In the 79th minute, Caceres stamped on Mbappe's calf after falling to the ground. In the 4th minute of stoppage time, Kounde was punched in the face by Galarza, yet the Uzbek referee team showed no response.

Mbappe and his teammates were not yet born during the 1998 World Cup, but France coach Deschamps will not forget. 28 years ago in Lens, also in a Round of 16 match, also against Paraguay, he experienced a tough physical battle, finally eliminating the opponent 1-0 in extra time with Blanc's golden goal. However, at that time, Paraguay, who committed up to 21 fouls including extra time, received five yellow cards.

In this match, although Paraguayan players committed fouls throughout the game, Uzbek referee Tantashev did not show a single yellow card, leaving French players puzzled: Paraguay committed 13 fouls without any punishment, while France received 3 yellow cards for 11 fouls. When Paraguay was awarded a penalty, they surrounded the referee, and after the game, Velasquez even tried to clash with French players. All of Paraguay's actions went unpunished by red or yellow cards; their only yellow card came from "surrounding" the referee after the final whistle—in this sense, the match felt more like a surreal replay of the 2002 World Cup.

Deschamps, who became the first coach to achieve 10 World Cup knockout stage victories, revealed that toward the end of the match, he even had to instruct his players to protect Mbappe: "I made the two tallest players stand next to Mbappe at the last moment because they wanted to tackle him to the ground."

BBC commentators Hart and Richards both expressed strong dissatisfaction with Paraguay's style of play, saying that the World Cup does not need such a Paraguay. Guest commentator Ibrahimovic bluntly stated: "If it were me, I might have received four red cards in this match. But the French team performed calmly and relaxed; they responded with smiles and goals, which is the best way to reply."

Although due to the hot weather and Paraguay's targeted tactics, France did not manage their first shot on target until the 55th minute, they dominated the match statistics in terms of shots (15 to 5), shots on target (5 to 1), possession (76%), and corners (12 to 2).

The luxurious bench also gave the French the confidence to avoid repeating Germany's fate. As Paraguay's lone striker Enciso was exhausted and injured off in the 61st minute, Deschamps brought on Doue, who is valued at €120 million. Five minutes later, the PSG midfielder dribbled past two players, faced a three-man double team, and was fouled, earning the precious penalty for Les Bleus—although referee Tantashev initially ignored the foul, VAR intervened to correct his decision... Mbappe then scored his 7th goal of the World Cup, level with Messi. If not for Paraguay's goalkeeper Hill putting on a performance reminiscent of Chilavert towards the end, saving Mbappe's shots three times in a row, he would have had a chance to tie Messi's record as the World Cup's all-time top scorer.

This penalty allowed Mbappe to surpass Klose with 7 goals, becoming the player with the most World Cup goals against South American teams. Since the 2018 World Cup, Mbappe's knockout stage goals (11) are more than those of Brazil and England (10), Portugal (9), and Spain (4). At the same time, Mbappe set a new personal record for most goals in a single season by a French player with 55 goals. This goal was also Mbappe's 63rd for the French national team, and together with 37 assists, he reached the milestone of 100 goal contributions for France.

Beyond the goal, victory, and advancing to the round of 16, Mbappe's maturity and the team's unity were the biggest gains for France in this match. The superstar remained calm throughout; during warm-ups, he even climbed over an advertising board to apologize to a fan hit by a ball he kicked. Before the penalty, Dembele protected the spot, but Paraguay's Galarza and Velasquez tried to disrupt it, yet Mbappe calmly scored, shattering Paraguay's plans.

It must be admitted that Paraguay's "hunting" tactics did successfully limit Mbappe, but there is always a loophole in even the most careful plan. Moreover, this French team has a champion-level calm mentality. Despite being constantly fouled and provoked, Mbappe maintained continuous attacking drive and the ability to motivate his teammates, a stark contrast to his self-centered performance at the European Championships two years ago.

28 years ago, France overcame Paraguay and eventually lifted the World Cup trophy. This time, they must first fend off Morocco's desire for revenge. In this Round of 16 match, the composure shown by the French team in the face of hostility and provocation will help them better prepare for the tougher quarterfinal.