Can Paraguay frustrate France in World Cup Round of 16 encounter?

The South American country did have to rely on VAR to take the game to a penalty shootout, but they held their nerve to knock out Die Mannschaft, who had won their previous six.

Things do not get any easier for Gustavo Alfaro's men as they face overwhelming favourites France, who have scored three or more goals in each of their four matches.

While a clash with Kylian Mbappe and co may look bleak, do Paraguay have what it takes to halt the most irresistible attack in world football?

How Paraguay reached World Cup Round of 16

Having finished third in their group with four points, La Albirroja have done a stellar job to make it past Germany and into the Round of 16.

The South American side were bamboozled by co-hosts the United States in the opening group game but were superb to topple Turkey with 10 men and have since remained unbeaten.

After conceding four in their opening game, Paraguay have let in just one and could be buoyed by the return of Sunderland's Omar Alderete, who missed the last match through injury.

If they are to stop the most potent attack at the World Cup from scoring, then they will need to stand firm in a low block and prevent giving France's frontline space in and around the area.

In attack, Julio Enciso and Matias Galarza have been La Albirroja's talisman, and both are capable of match-winning moments, but getting the ball to them will prove tricky.

Can Paraguay stop France's deadly attack?

France have already come up against some challenging opponents, including Senegal, Norway and Denmark, but they have cast them all aside with relative ease.

Le Bleus have scored 13 goals in four games, more than any other team, and have quality across their frontline in Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue.

What makes Didier Deschamps' men so tough to play against is their ability to finish from tight areas, and they have regularly outperformed their xG by considerable margins.

While they were defeated 4-1, a much-changed Norway threatened France and found ways to create chances, outscoring Les Bleus' xG, while things could have been different if Jorgen Strand Larsen had converted his penalty.

No side has managed to stop the World Cup's most formidable attack, and sitting back could actually be the worst thing for Paraguay to do, as it will invite pressure and possession in dangerous areas.

However, that is how the game will almost certainly play out given how resolute La Albirroja's backline has been and how they do not possess the same quality in attack as their opponent.

Alfaro's men can take confidence from their last encounter with Julian Nagelsmann's team, but while they were able to thwart an average Germany side, they should have no such luck against the three-time champions.

Watch the world's best football on DAZN

After the World Cup is over, there is so much great football still to watch on DAZN.

Premier League: All English top-flight matches live and in full in Canada

Serie A: Watch all 380 matches of the Italian league live in the UK and Canada. Also in the US in Spanish language

Champions League: Watch every match of the 2026/27 campaign in Canada. Three matches per round exclusively in the US, in Spanish language

National League: DAZN is the home of the National League, with every game available either live or on-demand, plus selected North and South matches

FIFA+ on DAZN: Watch over 7,000 live matches a year, plus World Cup archive, iconic documentaries, films, and player profiles for FREE

For more details and to subscribe to a DAZN football package, click here