Paraguay gets physical in a heated World Cup loss to France in steamy Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In the last 2026 World Cup match in Philadelphia, Paraguay played a style that has been seen many times before at the city’s football stadium.

La Albirroja's physical approach in their 1-0 loss to France in the Round of 16 looked more like what might be seen on a Sunday in the fall from the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, who play their home games at Lincoln Financial Field.

Eagles coach Nick Siranni might have liked what he saw. Les Bleus sure didn’t.

“I had never played a match like this, with so many hits,” France midfielder Manu Koné said. “I mean, cheap shots, shoves in the back. So, yes, it was complicated.”

Paraguay seemed to target star forward Kylian Mbappé, who converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute.

Andrés Cubas grabbed Mbappé in the offensive third, resulting in mass confrontation in the 35th minute. Later in the first half, Matias Galarza made contact with Mbappé off the ball, sending him sprawling to the turf. And in the 77th minute, Juan José Cáceres kicked the France forward in the right shin. None of these fouls resulted in yellow cards.

In fact, France received the only three yellow cards issued during the match. Paraguay got one after the final whistle for dissent toward the referee.

Paraguay’s tactics came as no surprise to its opponent.

“We knew what kind of match it was going to be,” Mbappé said. “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.”

Things remained heated — both figuratively and literally, with the game played in scorching temperatures — after the match. Players from both sides converged near the center circle, and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill threw a ball at Mbappé’s back.

“I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper,” Gill said.

Tempers weren’t exactly under control during the match, either. La Albirroja planned to make it tough.

“From the very first moment, we set out to make our presence felt on the pitch — to play hard,” Gill said. “If the ball gets through, the man doesn’t. And, honestly, I think the team handled itself well.”

France felt otherwise.

“They pull out every trick in the book,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “It’s not the kind of football that draws people to the stadium. Each team played the way they want. But there were insults from the other bench that I could do without.”

There also appeared to be bad words flying on the pitch, with Mbappé and Galarza verbally sparring at one point.

It seemed, at times, as if the referee could have used some yellow flags, like in American football, in addition to yellow cards.

“We fought a battle,” France’s William Saliba said. “We won the battle.”

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro embraces player Orlando Gill at the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Kylian Mbappe celebrates France's victory as Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill holds the ball after the final whistle of a World Cup round of 16 soccer match in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Paraguay players leave the pitch as they react after losing against France at the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Paraguay's Gustavo Gomez reacts at the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

France's Kylian Mbappe, left, and Paraguay's Juan Jose Caceres scuffle during a World Cup round of 16 soccer match in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — A massive demonstration was held for the 35th night in a row in Albania's capital on Saturday, with protesters calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, the temporary replacement of his government, constitutional reform and an end to corruption.

Media images showed tens of thousands of people marching along Tirana's main boulevard toward Skanderbeg Square. There has been no independent verification of the number of protesters.

The nightly demonstrations began over a luxury coastal resort development project in a protected natural area linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, but have since evolved into broader anti-government and anti-corruption protests. The protesters were chanting “New Albania” and “Edi Rama, resign.”

The march was heavy on symbolism. A tall bust of Rama was erected and later toppled with the help of a rope, a gesture reminiscent of the February 1991 toppling of the statue of longtime communist dictator Enver Hoxha, an event commemorated on Feb. 20 each year. Since Saturday’s protest coincided with Rama’s 62nd birthday, some protesters carried “birthday cakes” made of cement, an allusion to the building projects. There was also an ironic “happy birthday” song for Rama.

Some protesters carried pink flamingo balloons, a reference to the birds supposedly threatened by the resort construction project. The demonstrations have long been dubbed “the pink flamingo revolution.”

After protesting for about two hours, a large group marched to a police station, demanding the release of people arrested during Thursday’s protest near parliament.

Protesters broke the windows of the police station while police responded with a water cannon to disperse the crowd.

Protesters chant slogans during a rally against plans for a luxury construction project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Hameraldi Agolli)

A protester takes part in a rally against plans for a luxury construction project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Hameraldi Agolli)

Protesters take part in a rally against plans for a luxury construction project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Hameraldi Agolli)

A protester holds an inflatable flamingo during a protest against plans for a luxury construction project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Hameraldi Agolli)

Protesters take part in a rally against plans for a luxury construction project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Hameraldi Agolli)