World Cup 2026 / France - Paraguay: probable line-ups

04.07.26 FT World Cup

Paraguay

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France

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Heavy favorites for this round of 16 clash, Les Bleus face a Paraguay side that has enjoyed an impressive run, having knocked out Germany in the previous round.

Philadelphia will host, on Saturday at 11pm, one of the most anticipated showdowns of this early knockout stage. After an almost flawless group stage and a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden in the round of 32, Didier Deschamps' France approach this contest with their sights firmly set on the path to a third star.

See also: World Cup 2026 / Canada - Morocco: probable line-ups

On the other side, Paraguay remain one of the most intriguing stories of this World Cup: rescued as one of the best third-placed finishers after an inconsistent group stage, the South Americans return to the round of 16 sixteen years after their only quarter-final appearance, back in 2010, earned at this very stage against Germany—who were eliminated on penalties under Gustavo Alfaro's guidance. This is a team renowned for their defensive solidity more than for thrilling football, but they’ve already caused one tournament giant to stumble.

Here are the probable line-ups for both teams ahead of kick-off:

France: Maignan - Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne - Koné, Rabiot - Dembélé, Olise, Barcola - Mbappé ©

Paraguay: Gill - Cáceres, G. Gomez (c), Canale, J. Alonso - Cubas - Almiron, D. Gomez, Galarza, Enciso - Avalos

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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