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Paraguay and France are set to clash in one of the most anticipated Round of 16 matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The game will take place at Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev officiating the encounter.
France cruised into this stage with three dominant group stage victories and a convincing 3-0 win over Sweden in the Round of 32, spearheaded by the in-form Kylian Mbappé. Paraguay, on the other hand, pulled off a stunning upset in the previous round, eliminating Germany after a penalty shootout. While the ambitions of "Les Bleus" are solely focused on securing a third World Cup title, the South Americans are already living their football fairytale and will play without any pressure, aiming for another historic achievement.
Gustavo Alfaro starts the match with Julio Enciso as the lone striker. Miguel Almirón and Diego Gómez will operate on the wings, while Andrés Cubas and Matías Galarza form the central midfield pivot.
Didier Deschamps has opted for Kylian Mbappé to lead the attack, supported by Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, and Bradley Barcola upfront. Adrien Rabiot and Manu Koné will partner in the midfield.
PARAGUAY: Gill, Cáceres, Velázquez, G. Gómez, Alderete, Alonso, Galarza, Cubas, Almirón, D. Gómez, Enciso
FRANCE: Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne, Rabiot, Koné, Olise, Barcola, Dembélé, Mbappé
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