\u201cIt wasn\u2019t easy. If we\u2019d taken one of our chances late in the game, it would have been a much more comfortable finish. Paraguay use every trick in the book. It\u2019s not necessarily the kind of football people enjoy watching, but we stayed focused and that\u2019s not easy to do.\u201d Fair play. And fair play to Mbappe for just laughing at the constant attempts to foul him. Wrong target I guess.<\/p>\n
By the way, while Paraguay\u2019s players received no bookings between them (a sort of beauty in that; it makes for a great line), the French picked up three. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n
Bradley Barcola (roughing)
Manu Kone (tripping)
Michael Olise (Unsportsmanlike conduct)<\/p>\n
Paraguay\u2019s players did absolutely none of that. Definitely not.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.56 EDT<\/p>\n Many of you BTL are very cross with referee Ilgiz Tantashev after his performance in the France v Paraguay<\/a> game. I\u2019d argue that it wasn\u2019t his finest hour but at least he got through the full 90 minutes\u2026<\/p>\n (From AP wires 2024): \u201cThe first substitution made in the Olympics men\u2019s soccer semifinal match between Morocco and Spain on Monday was the referee. The ref, Ilgiz Tantashev of Uzbekistan, limped off the field 15 minutes into the match shortly after he was inadvertently knocked down by Spain defender Marc Pubill near midfield. Pubill appeared to be pushed by a Moroccan player. He tumbled forward and into Tantashev\u2019s right leg. Play was stopped for a few minutes while Tantashev received treatment. But the referee couldn\u2019t continue and was replaced by fourth official Glenn Nyberg of Sweden.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.48 EDT<\/p>\n That Paraguay display against France, eh! Absolute pure shithousery. And the fact that no Paraguay player was booked should easily make the list of \u2018Top 10 Extraordinary Things at the 2026 World Cup\u2019. Watch the game back and explain how Matias Galarza and Juan Caceres don\u2019t pick up about 12 yellow cards between them. The absolute rogues. Genuinely remarkable stuff. Let\u2019s not ride the high horse though. I\u2019m more thinking a documentary in about 20 years\u2019 time when Mbappe is reunited with the pair of them in a bar in Paris\/Asunci\u00f3n and they all have a good laugh about it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.49 EDT<\/p>\n Talking of Harry Kane, here\u2019s Jacob Steinberg\u2019s piece on the England<\/a> striker. Can he be the difference maker again when the Three Lions take on Mexico?<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a modern great who stands the test of time. They had this debate on the Stick to Football podcast this week; it did not feel ridiculous when Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Jill Scott had Kane up there with Bobby Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton in England\u2019s top three.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kylian Mbappe has pulled level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot charts. Both icons have seven after the Frenchman tucked away the winning penalty against Paraguay<\/a>.<\/p>\n Erling Haaland (5), Harry Kane (5) and Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior (4) all have the chance to close the gap in the next 24 hours. And also look out for Spain\u2019s Mikel Oyarzabal (4) creeping up on the rails.<\/p>\n Seven has already beaten the top scorer\u2019s tally from 10 of the last 12 World Cups.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Brazil star Rodrygo is back home after sampling the World Cup<\/a> in the United States. In his latest column for us, he notices the differences between a country enjoying the World Cup and one obsessed by it. A reminder that Brazil play Norway in the last-16 today. Kick-off 9pm BST.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rhythm of life in Brazil \u2013 the \u201cland of football\u201d as we call it \u2013 is dictated by the team\u2019s progress in the World Cup. Work schedules are affected, as are the operations of certain public services. Daily life doesn\u2019t stop, but we go to great lengths to shape it around Brazil\u2019s matches. Afterwards, as one of our sayings goes, we \u201cplay catchup\u201d with everyday life.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Maybe life doesn\u2019t begin at 40 but it doesn\u2019t mean the end for a world-class footballer. So says Emma Hayes in her latest World Cup<\/a> column.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> It\u2019s Q&A time with none other than Luis de la Fuente! Spain\u2019s manager answers your questions on advice for Lamine Yamal, the hardest thing about being a coach and how the current team compares to the winners of 2010. Sid Lowe has pieced it all together.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Canada boss Jesse Marsch is a polarising figure. In fact, you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking his first name is \u2018Theinsufferable\u2019 if scrolling and asking around. Were Canada<\/a> the better side, as he claims here? You have to enjoy the response of Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi. \u201cIt takes some nerve to say that when you lose 3-0.\u201d Quotes here after Morocco\u2019s clinical display of finishing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> It\u2019s just gone 1.30am in Mexico City. Is there a cacophony of noise outside the hotel? Are England\u2019s players managing any sleep? The game kicks off at 6pm local time or, as those in the UK know, 1am BST. Here\u2019s David Hytner\u2019s latest report from Mexico City.<\/p>\n \u201cEngland stepped off their seventh flight in 12 days on Friday and are about to play their fourth game in 13 days. The period was always going to be a grind; one simply to plot a course through.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Our reporters are in Mexico City for the big one and between running 5ks to show the effects of altitude, they\u2019ve also written some words. Let\u2019s start with Nick Ames, who has quotes from both managers: England\u2019s Thomas Tuchel and Mexico\u2019s Javier Aguirre.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.37 EDT<\/p>\n Morocco end run of co-hosts Canada Jonathan Wilson was at Houston Stadium to witness 2022 semi-finalists Morocco beat Canada. Three second-half goals settled this one as Mohamed Ouahbi\u2019s side became the first African nation to reach the World Cup<\/a> quarter-finals twice.<\/p>\n \u201cThis wasn\u2019t really about the new style. This was a very old-fashioned Morocco performance, dogged and dour, admirably competitive, and with the undoubted ability of the more creative players seen almost entirely in counterattacks. Whether their cagey start was by design or because they were forced into it by Canada\u2019s ferocity, though, was unclear.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>France battle past Paraguay to reach quarter-finals Let\u2019s start with Paul MacInnes\u2019 match report from a hot and sweaty Philadelphia Stadium. The 1-0 win for France was a repeat of the scoreline from their last-16 tie in 1998 and we all know how that World Cup<\/a> ended.<\/p>\n \u201cThe World Cup favourites were forced to drop a gear or two but still had too much for a Paraguay<\/a> team that set out for a fight but were ultimately no more than a nuisance.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.16 EDT<\/p>\n Preamble<\/p>\n Good morning\/afternoon\/evening wherever you are! It feels like we\u2019re getting to the business end of the World Cup<\/a> now as highlighted by the first two quarter-finalists emerging. Morocco were too clinical for co-hosts Canada while France came through a bruising encounter with Paraguay.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll have all the reaction to those two last-16 ties and build-up to the much-anticipated clash between Mexico and England<\/a> in the Azteca. There\u2019s also the little matter of Brazil v Norway this evening so, yeah, the serious stuff is really happening now. Ready for day 25 of the World Cup? Let\u2019s do it!<\/p>\n![\"Jacob](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783242309_642_Jacob-Steinberg,-L.png\")
Jacob Steinberg<\/p>\n![\"Sid](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783242310_822_Sid_Lowe,_L.png\")
Sid Lowe<\/p>\n![\"David](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783242310_845_David_Hytner,_L.png\")
David Hytner<\/p>\n![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783242311_229_Nick_Ames.png\")
Nick Ames<\/p>\n![\"Jonathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jonathan_Wilson,_L.png\")
Jonathan Wilson<\/p>\n![\"Paul](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783242312_17_Paul_Macinnes.png\")
Paul MacInnes<\/p>\n