Mbappe Ties Messi’s World Cup Goal Record as France Edges Paraguay 1-0 to Reach Quarterfinals

Kylian Mbappe delivered again on the biggest stage, burying a 70th-minute penalty to send France past Paraguay 1-0 in a Fourth of July round-of-16 thriller at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The goal pushed Mbappe to 19 career World Cup goals, drawing him level with Lionel Messi atop the tournament’s all-time scoring list, and booked France a spot in the quarterfinals against the winner of Canada-Morocco.

Paraguay arrived in Philadelphia riding the emotional high of one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, having knocked out four-time champion Germany on penalties in the DraftKings promo code round of 32 after a 1-1 draw through extra time. That win, sealed when Jose Canale converted the decisive spot kick, marked Paraguay’s first-ever goal and victory in a World Cup knockout match and sent the South Americans to their deepest run since reaching the quarterfinals back in 2010. Against France, they came within a single moment of extending that Cinderella story into the last eight.

Mbappe’s Penalty Breaks the Deadlock

For nearly 70 minutes, Paraguay’s disciplined defensive shape held off a France side that had been the most dominant attacking force of the tournament. Orlando Gill made several key saves to keep the match scoreless, and Paraguay generated dangerous look through Miguel Almiron and substitute Mauricio before Gustavo Gomez went off with Jose Canale entering for defensive reinforcement. But in the 70th minute, the breakthrough came off the penalty spot, and Mbappe made no mistake, sending France into their third consecutive World Cup quarterfinal.

Bettors tracking the tournament through a FanDuel promo code saw the goal shift both the match and Golden Boot markets in an instant. The goal was Mbappe’s sixth of the tournament, tying him with Messi for the Golden Boot lead, and his 19th career World Cup goal overall — pulling him level with Messi’s all-time record. Mbappe has now scored in seven different World Cup matches with multiple goals, more than any other player in tournament history, and his 11 knockout-stage goals stand alone as a World Cup record. Didier Deschamps’ side outshot Paraguay throughout the match, with Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise both generating a steady stream of corners and chances that ultimately forced the pressure that led to the penalty.

What’s Next for Both Sides

France now advances to a quarterfinal matchup on July 9 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, against the winner of the Canada-Morocco round-of-16 clash, with futures markets on a BetMGM promo code already shifting toward the French, and a spot in the semifinals — and a potential path back to the final for the second straight tournament — on the line. Mbappe, who has 18 goals in 18 career World Cup appearances and 22 total goal contributions, will look to become the outright all-time World Cup scoring leader as France chases its first title since 2018.

For Paraguay, the run ends, but the achievement remains historic. Coach Gustavo Alfaro’s squad became the first Paraguayan side to reach the World Cup knockout stage since 1998, and their penalty-shootout win over Germany will be remembered as one of the signature upsets of the 2026 tournament. With a young core that includes Julio Enciso and Miguel Almiron, Paraguayan soccer enters a new era with belief restored after nearly two decades on the outside looking in — a story several Kalshi promo code traders had flagged as a long-shot value play before the tournament began.

Sportsbooks had priced France as heavy favorites, and the moneyline number rewarded value only on the tight scoreline — the game’s total went under the posted 2.5-goal line as both defenses held firm for most of the match. Bettors who backed a low-scoring, penalty-decided affair using a Caesars Sportsbook promo code cashed as the two sides combined for just a single goal in regulation, a familiar script for a tournament that has produced no shortage of tense knockout finishes.