France survived a bruising encounter against Paraguay to book their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, while Morocco strengthened their credentials as title contenders with a convincing victory over Canada ahead of England’s blockbuster clash against co-hosts Mexico.
The reigning world champions were forced to dig deep for a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Paraguay in Philadelphia, with the contest overshadowed by a series of robust challenges and controversial refereeing decisions.
Paraguay, who stunned four-time champions Germany in the previous round, frustrated France for long spells but drew criticism for their physical approach. Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart described the South Americans’ conduct as “an absolute disgrace,” saying players on his own team would have been hauled off the pitch for similar behaviour.
Several flashpoints marked the encounter. Andrés Cubas escaped a booking after a heavy challenge on Adrien Rabiot, while Juan José Cáceres avoided punishment after kicking Kylian Mbappé. Gabriel Ávalos also appeared fortunate not to be sanctioned after striking Dayot Upamecano with an elbow as Paraguay searched for an equaliser.
Ironically, while French trio Manu Koné, Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise all received yellow cards, none of Paraguay’s players entered the referee’s notebook despite the repeated physical confrontations.
Former England defender Micah Richards criticised Paraguay’s tactics, insisting they were unnecessary given the team’s disciplined defensive display.
“It was embarrassing to see,” Richards said. “Paraguay are better than that. Defensively they were so good and they didn’t need to get into these antics.”
Elsewhere, Morocco continued their remarkable World Cup campaign with a clinical 3-0 victory over co-hosts Canada in Houston to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Although the Atlas Lions produced just five attempts on goal—the fewest by any team to win a World Cup knockout match on record—they made every opportunity count in a contest defined more by grit than attacking flair. The opening half also entered the record books as the first in World Cup history to feature more yellow cards than shots.
The victory extended Morocco’s unbeaten run to 34 matches in all competitions, underlining the consistency that has transformed the North Africans into genuine contenders for the World Cup title. Their last defeat came against Kenya in the African Nations Championship in August 2025, with the team continuing to impress under pressure on the global stage.
Attention now shifts to one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament as England prepare to face co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium for a place in the quarter-finals.
Despite concerns over the altitude, hostile atmosphere and overwhelming home support expected for Mexico, confidence remains high within the England camp. Former players believe the occasion should inspire rather than intimidate the Three Lions, arguing that these are the moments every footballer dreams of.
With a capacity crowd expected and millions watching around the world, England will need to overcome both the hosts and one of football’s most intimidating venues if they are to keep their hopes of lifting the World Cup alive.
