"Mbappe ignored the handshake first," Paraguay also has its say... Goalkeeper's defense: "Rough play is part of soccer"

*This content was translated by AI.

Paraguay, facing fierce criticism for unsportsmanlike conduct, also has its side to tell. In particular, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gil (San Lorenzo) claimed that French striker Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) ignored his greeting.

France secured a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match held at Philadelphia Stadium on the 5th (Korea time). Mbappe scored the winning goal from a penalty kick in the 25th minute of the second half.

More attention than France's advance to the quarterfinals focused on Paraguay's rough play. On this day, Paraguay made 29 tackles, most of which created dizzying scenes that could have led to serious injuries. However, referee Isgys Tantachev, who officiated the match, imposed no significant sanctions, and Paraguay's tough style of soccer continued throughout the game. In the Round of 16, Paraguay received not a single yellow card.

In response, French local media expressed anger. L'Equipe stated, "It may sound surprising, but Paraguay received only one caution in their Round of 16 match against France. It was not even a player, but senior coach Carlos Gonzalez who received it." The outlet pointed out that given the extremely rough play by Paraguayan players, the punishment was too light.

Another French media outlet, So Foot, also strongly criticized Paraguay: "This Round of 16 match felt like a group beating in a dark alley. Facing such a vicious team, France could have lost its composure and collapsed, but Mbappe's penalty kick goal secured their ticket to the quarterfinals. This was not soccer, but we must be satisfied with the result."

After the match ended, another controversial scene emerged. As the final whistle blew, Paraguay goalkeeper Gil intentionally threw a ball at Mbappe, who had his back turned. Mbappe appeared quite displeased and stared at Gil. Afterward, he shared the joy of victory with his teammates without any further reaction. This scene drew immense criticism directed at Gil as well.

However, Gil refuted the claims, arguing that the issue lay with Mbappe's action of ignoring his handshake attempt. According to Spain's AS, Gil stated, "I extended my hand wanting to congratulate Mbappe, but he pretended not to notice. I lost my temper in an instant, and that was all. Later, I calmed down." He explained, "They are having a great tournament and are favorites for the title; I wanted to send them a message of congratulations."

Gil also addressed the criticism regarding Paraguay's rough play, explaining that it is part of soccer tactics. He said, "This is also soccer. If you are not used to it, what can we do? This is how Paraguayan players always play. They are a team that is physically very rough and combative."

He added, "We wanted to make our presence felt on the field and show our toughness. Our mindset was 'the ball may pass, but people cannot.' I believe our team performed its mission excellently."

Meanwhile, Paraguay returned to the World Cup finals for the first time since reaching the quarterfinals at the 2010 South Africa tournament, 16 years later. In this tournament, they were placed in Group D, recording one win, one draw, and one loss, advancing to the Round of 32 as the third-place team in their group.

Earlier in the Round of 32, Paraguay pulled off an upset by drawing 1-1 with "favorite" Germany before defeating them in a penalty shootout. During the match against Germany, Paraguay recorded its first-ever World Cup tournament goal. However, they were stopped by France at the North American World Cup and concluded their journey in this tournament.

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*This content was translated by AI.