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France coach Didier Deschamps has warned his team to be wary of a tenacious Paraguay squad in today’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match in Philadelphia.
Deschamps warned his team against complacency, noting that Paraguay’s advancement to the knockout stages and their upset over Germany are no accident.
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He acknowledged Paraguay’s typical South American DNA, praising their fighting spirit, defensive resilience, and dangerous individual players like Julio Enciso and Miguel Almirón.
While confident in Les Bleus’ abilities following a string of free-scoring performances, Deschamps stressed that aggression alone will not win the match and that they will need to adapt to oppressive weather conditions in Philadelphia.
“Paraguay didn’t just come out of nowhere. Like all South American teams, they have a big heart. It’s not aggressiveness that wins a match,” Deschamps said.
“It’s a team that knows its football well. They have good players: Enciso, Almiron… They know each other, they do things well. But that’s not all.
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“We talk about the attack because we’re scoring goals. But between the defensive line and the attack, there’s the midfield. Whether it’s Aurélien (Tchouameni), Adrien (Rabiot), or Manu (Kone), they provide balance and pressing. You can’t separate the lines. It’s a puzzle, you need to have connections.
“My players weren’t born at that time, but I remember it. It was an important moment for me, for France. It was a tough match; it’s part of football history, of World Cup history. Today, it’s a different match, but Paraguay’s qualities are the same.”
