Mbappé VAR – Kylian Mbappé converted a VAR-awarded penalty against Paraguay in the 70th minute, taking France’s all-time leading scorer to seven goals at the tournament and 10 knockout-round World Cup goals—one fewer than his overall career total of 19. France beat Sweden
PHILADELPHIA — The 70th minute brought a pause on the field, then a penalty kick that felt like it was always headed back to Kylian Mbappé.
In France’s round of 16 matchup against Paraguay at Lincoln Financial Field, Mbappé converted a penalty kick after a VAR review led Les Bleus to the spot. The foul came when Diego Gómez took down Désiré Doué in the box.
The goal keeps Mbappé once again within one scoring mark of Lionel Messi. It also pushes his World Cup total to 19 career goals, one behind Messi, while marking the seventh goal of the tournament for France’s all-time leading scorer.
It is the kind of production France has relied on since the knockout stage began. Mbappé is coming off his third brace of the tournament in France’s round of 32 win over Sweden earlier in the week. He scored in the 45th minute before halftime and then again in the 74th minute of the second half. and those two finishes brought his knockout-round World Cup goals to 10—an individual tournament record.
France is making the round of 16 for the third consecutive World Cup under Mbappé, and the fourth consecutive World Cup under Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps. For France, that rhythm matters as much as the numbers: Mbappé’s scoring has become a steady answer to high-pressure games.
By the time the match ended, the next question for France was already clear. Should France defeat Paraguay on Saturday, Les Bleus will play the winner of Canada and Morocco in the quarterfinals.
The stakes stretch beyond this single night in Philadelphia. France’s path through the bracket is fixed once the knockout stage begins. with the tournament turning single-elimination once the 32 remaining teams enter. Each subsequent round halves the field until a winner is crowned. and the only exception comes at the end: the two semifinal losers play a third-place game ahead of the World Cup final.
The 2026 World Cup itself is billed as the largest ever, with matches broadcast in the United States on Fox and FS1. Games will also be broadcast in Spanish throughout the entirety of the World Cup on Telemundo and streamed on Peacock.
A full knockout schedule sets the tempo after the round of 16, with quarterfinals beginning July 9 through July 11. On July 9, PAR/FRA vs. MRC will air on Fox from Foxborough. On July 10, POR/ESP vs. USA/BEL will be in Inglewood. On July 11, BRA/NOR vs. MEX/ENG will be played in Miami, while ARG/EGY vs. SWI/COL will be played in Kansas City.
Semifinals are slated for July 14 and July 15, with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
For Mbappé, though, the immediate storyline doesn’t require any bracket math. A single penalty kick—handed over after VAR reviewed contact in the box—continued a World Cup chase line that has now pulled him to 19 career goals and kept him one behind Lionel Messi.
Mbappé France Paraguay VAR penalty 2026 World Cup Lionel Messi Didier Deschamps Lincoln Financial Field World Cup knockout stage
VAR AGAIN??? soccer is just video reviews now.
I swear it said Mbappé is Messi’s shadow but isn’t Messi like way older? Also the article keeps talking about numbers like 19 goals… who counts that during a game lol.
So Diego Gomez fouled him in the box and VAR made it a pen… but I’m confused because they keep saying “one fewer than his overall career total of 19” like what does that even mean. Mbappé should just score normally instead of waiting for VAR to save the highlight.
Messi shadow, VAR pen, Deschamps again… I get it though, the dude keeps getting goals in the knockouts. But Paraguay always seems like they get called for fouls for no reason and then everyone acts shocked. If France plays Canada or Morocco next, isn’t that gonna be another VAR situation too? Feels like the tournament is just penalties at this point.