Paraguay vs. France: How Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise can prove Les Bleus are the best side at World Cup 2026 in round of 16

As the knockout stages of World Cup 2026 vigor up, Paraguay are acceptable to fastener horns with France successful the circular of 16 astatine Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field connected Saturday.

Didier Deschamps's broadside travel into the clash arsenic the overwhelming favourites aft thrashing Sweden 3-0 successful their circular of 32 tie, a show fuelled by an attacking quartet led by Kylian Mbappe.

However, it would beryllium a mistake to place the menace posed by Los Guaranies aft Gustavo Alfaro's underdogs beat Germany connected penalties to scope this stage.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look astatine however Les Bleus tin beryllium they are the strongest federation astatine the World Cup against Paraguay successful the circular of 16.

Paraguay are underrated, susceptible absorption astatine World Cup 2026

Paraguay whitethorn beryllium ranked 41st successful the satellite by FIFA compared to France's third, but the South American broadside person already shown their quality to origin problems for higher-tier opponents this summer.

Julian Nagelsmann's Germany kicked disconnected their World Cup run with a 7-1 demolition of Curacao, and aft topping Group E to suffice for the knockouts, they were expected to breeze past Los Guaranies into the circular of 16.

However, Alfaro's broadside opened the scoring successful the archetypal fractional against Die Mannschaft courtesy of talisman Julio Enciso, and were capable to bounds the four-time satellite champions to 1 extremity earlier going connected to triumph connected penalties - the archetypal clip Germany were beaten connected spot kicks astatine a World Cup.

That triumph volition capable the underdogs with anticipation for Saturday's clash, and adding to the feeling of cautious optimism is the information that Paraguay person kept 3 cleanable sheets crossed their past 5 games, a antiaircraft solidity that volition beryllium captious against France's fearsome frontline.

Can France's onslaught beryllium stopped astatine the World Cup?

France person an embarrassment of riches up apical connected paper, but what makes Les Bleus antithetic than different nations enjoying a aureate procreation is the mode successful which Deschamps has acceptable each of their attackers together.

Mbappe is the biggest sanction successful the squad, and helium volition beryllium keen to support gait with the likes of Lionel Messi successful the contention for the aureate boot, but Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola are talents that would beryllium the main prima for astir immoderate different federation astatine the World Cup.

Olise successful peculiar has stood retired this summer, having already registered 5 assists - conscionable 1 shy of Pele's grounds six successful 1 tourney from 1970 - portion playing successful a less-familiar fig 10 role.

The Bayern winger is exceptional astatine sliding done balls to his teammates successful scoring positions, but helium is arsenic susceptible of uncovering the backmost of the nett himself, adjacent if helium finds chances to chopped wrong onto his favoured near ft constricted successful cardinal zones.

Dembele is the existent Ballon d'Or holder and won his 2nd consecutive Champions League rubric with Paris Saint-Germain successful 2025-26, a feat that was assisted by chap Parisiens prima Barcola, who has been linked with a power to Liverpool.

Despite Paraguay's stalwart antiaircraft displays this year, which saw them debar conceding successful 2 of their 3 radical games, it is hard to ideate a script wherever France spell goalless connected Saturday.

Alfaro's men person not scored much than erstwhile successful immoderate of their World Cup outings truthful far, and considering that Les Bleus scored astatine slightest 3 goals successful each of their past 5 fixtures, Les Bleus' attacking prowess should beryllium capable to spot them into the quarter-finals.

Paraguay vs. France: What would a Les Bleus triumph mean successful circular of 16 tie

This weekend's circular of 16 necktie is simply a recreation of the clash astatine the aforesaid signifier during the France 1998 World Cup.

Les Bleus came retired connected apical that time successful June 28 years agone acknowledgment to a aureate extremity from Laurent Blanc, but it would beryllium a astonishment if the contention is arsenic adjacent this clip around.

France person arguably been a level supra each of their rivals to assistance the trophy this summer, including England, who are struggling to interruption down debased blocks, Spain, who are yet to scope the heights they showed during Euro 2024, and Argentina, who are highly reliant connected Messi.

Victory connected Saturday would beryllium different motion of consistency for Deschamps's side, who arrived astatine the tourney successful fantabulous signifier and amusement nary signs of slowing down, and considering the trouble that Germany experienced against Paraguay, triumphing could found a gulf betwixt France and their competitors.