Story perspectives

Mbappé Penalty Secures 1-0 Win, Ties Messi for Boot

7/5/2026

Summary

Mbappé Scores

France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 in Philadelphia when Kylian Mbappé (France forward) scored a 70th-minute penalty, tying Lionel Messi for Golden Boot.
Referee Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan) gave yellows to France while Paraguay players kicked Mbappé and struck Adrien Rabiot without bookings.
Orlando Gill threw the ball at Mbappé’s back after refusing a handshake.
France will meet Morocco in the quarter-final at Boston Stadium Thursday 21:00 BST.

Summary

Mbappé Lauded

Joe Hart (BBC pundit) praised Kylian Mbappé’s composure and said he would drag half of the Paraguayan squad off the pitch.
Thierry Henry (former France striker) called the win a ‘win for football’, stressed France’s calm despite provocation, and said he would discuss France’s performance rather than Paraguay’s actions.
The pundits condemned referee Ilgiz Tantashev as the tournament’s worst and cited Kylian Mbappé’s post-match laughter as proof of his confidence.

History

Historical Context

In 2006, France lost to Italy in the tournament’s second ever final decided by penalties, a match marred by Zidane’s red card and widespread criticism of officiating. That controversy echoes today as Mbappé’s 2024 Round-of-16 penalty secured France’s 1-0 win over Paraguay, reviving calls for stricter global FIFA international discipline.

1 of 3

Mbappé Scores

France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 in Philadelphia when Kylian Mbappé (France forward) scored a 70th-minute penalty, tying Lionel Messi for Golden Boot.
Referee Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan) gave yellows to France while Paraguay players kicked Mbappé and struck Adrien Rabiot without bookings.
Orlando Gill threw the ball at Mbappé’s back after refusing a handshake.
France will meet Morocco in the quarter-final at Boston Stadium Thursday 21:00 BST.

1 / 3