Kylian Mbappé scored a decisive penalty in the 70th minute as France edged past Paraguay 1-0 in their World Cup round of 16 match, according to Al Jazeera. The goal brought Mbappé level with Lionel Messi at seven goals in the tournament, according to ESPN; it marked a significant moment in the race for the Golden Boot, though Mbappé still trails Messi’s all-time record of 20 World Cup goals.

Match Turning Point: Penalty Decision

The turning point came after a foul on Désiré Doué, who was subbed on in the 62nd minute; Diego Gómez of Paraguay collided with Doué, and after a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot, according to Al Jazeera. Mbappé stepped up and converted the penalty to open the scoring for France, while ESPN noted that the decision was aided by VAR and led directly to the goal.

France’s Struggles and Tactical Adjustments

Despite controlling possession for much of the match, France struggled to break down a stubborn Paraguayan defense, which focused on long-range shots; According to Al Jazeera, France had several attempts from distance, including one deflected wide by Manu Kone and another tipped over by goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise failed to make an impact, leading manager Didier Deschamps to make a substitution.

Deschamps replaced Bradley Barcola with Doué on the left wing, a move that quickly paid off as Doué was fouled in the box — the change of personnel disrupted Paraguay’s defensive rhythm and led to the decisive moment in the match.

Golden Boot Race and Historical Context

Mbappé’s goal brought him level with Messi at seven goals in the 2026 World Cup, according to ESPN. However, Messi still holds the record for the most World Cup goals in history with 20. Mbappé might have drawn level in the current tournament, but his long-range effort in the 88th minute was saved by Gill, and the goalkeeper made another brilliant stop in stoppage time.

Messi’s recent goal against Cape Verde marked his 20th in World Cup history and extended his record of scoring in eight consecutive World Cup games. Mbappé, who won the Golden Boot in the 2022 World Cup, has already scored four goals in 2026. He leads Messi in assists with two, according to ESPN.

France and Argentina are not strangers to this stage. In 1998, France famously needed a golden goal to defeat Paraguay in the same round and went on to win the World Cup, according to Al Jazeera. Now, France has taken another step toward repeating that success as they prepare to face Morocco in the quarterfinals.

Morocco eliminated co-hosts Canada with a 3-0 victory earlier on Saturday, according to ESPN. The match will be played on Thursday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.