It's a classic clash of styles in the World Cup Round of 16 as Paraguay's defensive solidity and resilience go up against the overwhelming attacking quality of France.
The Albirroja are set to challenge Les Bleus for a place in the quarterfinals.
This South America vs. Europe showdown features one of the tournament's biggest surprises, Paraguay, against a French side that makes no secret of its lofty ambitions.
With world-class individual talent and a highly efficient system, France is considered one of the most complete teams in the competition. But after stunning Germany, can Paraguay's Albirroja halt Les Bleus in their tracks?
Lineup Predictions
Paraguay (4-4-2): Gill; Caceres, Gomez, Canale, Alonso; Almiron, Bobadilla, Cubas, Galarza; Avalos, Enciso. Coach: Alfaro.
Manager: Gustavo Alfaro
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Olise, Barcola; Mbappé. Coach: Deschamps.
Manager: Didier Deschamps
Philadelphia Stadium Information
The match between Paraguay and France will be held at the Philadelphia Stadium. The stadium is the traditional home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.
Opened in 2003 and extensively renovated between 2013 and 2014, the venue has hosted numerous major sporting events and concerts, with a capacity of just over 67,500 spectators.
Date, Time & How to Watch
The clash between Paraguay and France is scheduled for Saturday, July 4th at Philadelphia Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM ET (4:00 PM CT / 3:00 PM MT / 2:00 PM PT).
The match will be broadcast on FS1 and Telemundo for fans in the United States. It can be streamed on Fubo, YouTube TV, and FOX Sports.
Road to the Round of 16
Heart, determination, and grit have been the cornerstones of Gustavo Alfaro's team's journey to the knockout stage. Their campaign began with a tough 4-1 loss to the United States in Group D, despite a second-half goal from Mauricio.
However, a narrow 1-0 victory over Turkey, secured by a Galarza goal, put them back on track. A scoreless draw against Australia was enough to see them advance as one of the best third-placed teams.
The Albirroja's biggest achievement came in the Round of 32, where they eliminated Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout. After a 1-1 draw through extra time, with goals from Enciso and Havertz, a decisive penalty from Canale and heroic saves from goalkeeper Gill sent them through.
In contrast, France has enjoyed a perfect run so far, winning every match. Les Bleus topped what was considered a difficult Group I, which included Norway, Senegal, and Iraq. Kylian Mbappé and his teammates dispatched all opponents with relative ease, with the Real Madrid star in sensational form.
An Mbappé brace and a Barcola goal secured a 3-1 opening win against Senegal. Another two goals from Mbappé and one from Dembélé led to a 3-0 victory over Iraq.
They followed that with a 4-1 thrashing of Norway, featuring a Dembélé hat-trick and a final goal from Doué. In their first knockout match in the Round of 32, France cruised past Sweden 3-0, with Mbappé once again scoring twice, flanking a goal from Barcola.
Head-to-Head History
The two nations have met twice before at the World Cup, with France emerging victorious on both occasions. They first clashed in the 1958 group stage, where France won 7-3.
Their second meeting was in the Round of 16 in 1998, a much tighter affair that France won 1-0 thanks to a golden goal from Laurent Blanc in extra time.
The teams have also played three friendlies between 2008 and 2017, resulting in two draws and one French victory.
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