The end of France's Round of 16 match against Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup was marked by dramatic tension and confrontations, with French star Kylian Mbappé and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gil at the centre of it all.
The Paraguayan goalkeeper approached Mbappé with his hand extended for a handshake, but the French captain refused, ignoring him and walking away. This enraged Gil, who responded by kicking the ball directly at Mbappé's body, to the astonishment of the refereeing team and the players.
The tension was not born at the final whistle, but was the continuation of a series of physical confrontations and rough play in the closing minutes, during which Mbappé was seen smiling in several moments as Paraguay's players attempted to provoke, obstruct, and unsettle him.
After the match, Mbappé appeared visibly angry in his comments to journalists in the mixed zone, criticising the approach taken by the Paraguay team.
"It was a difficult match. We faced excessive violence and unsporting challenges throughout the full 90 minutes. It is unacceptable for the pitch to turn into a wrestling arena of violence. We are here to play football, and nothing else," Mbappé said.