French World Cup star Kylian Mbappé scored a penalty in the 70th minute to secure France’s 1-0 win over Paraguay in the Round of 16 at Philadelphia Stadium on July 4, 2026. After the match, Mbappé was engaging with the crowd when he stepped in front of Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Gill extended his hand for a handshake, but when Mbappé did not respond, Gill lost his temper and threw the ball at him.

“I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper,” Gill said. He also expressed confidence in his teammates’ performance, stating, “We knew what kind of match it was going to be. We can also get our hands dirty. We know how to do it. We know how to play ugly football. Guess they were thinking we were going to show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that kind of game, we were better than them.”

Gill added that the match featured insults from the opposing bench that he could have done without. During the game, France received all three yellow cards issued, while Paraguay received none. The tense atmosphere culminated in the post-match confrontation between Gill and Mbappé.

Kylian Mbappé celebrates France's victory

Sources