Deschamps feared Mbappe would be ‘chopped down’ in ill-tempered Paraguay clash

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Didier Deschamps feared that Kylian Mbappe would be “chopped down” by Paraguay in Saturday’s ill-tempered clash in Philadelphia, which saw France advance to the World Cup quarter-finals.

Mbappe scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the 70th minute as Paraguay produced another stubborn defensive display, after their upset of Germany in the round of 32.

However, it was their use of the dark arts that drew criticism after the game, with Paraguay’s players repeatedly attempting to provoke Mbappe and his team-mates.

Despite several tough challenges and off-the-ball incidents, Paraguay did not pick up a single yellow card, marking the first time they have avoided the referee’s notebook entirely in a World Cup match since 1998 against Nigeria. France, on the other hand, had three players carded.

Clashes between both sets of players occurred during the second-half hydration break and at full-time, and Mbappe was seen laughing in the faces of Paraguay players on several occasions.

And Deschamps says some of Mbappe’s team-mates had a crucial role during and after the game – to serve as their captain’s bodyguards.

“They know how to do it. We were the ones who were punished because we took three yellow cards, they made fouls that were not punished,” Deschamps said. 

“I had to take Kylian off in 2018 against Uruguay [a 2-0 quarter-final win] because they were going to cut him up. 

“This evening, I asked the two strongest players on the bench to go and protect him immediately at the end, because you never know, the game is never over, maybe they were going to chop him down.

“It wasn’t easy. They use every trick in the book. It’s not the kind of football that will bring people to the stadium, but they defended well. It is always difficult against these South American teams.”

It was Mbappe’s 103rd appearance for France, as he equalled Deschamps for ninth place among the most capped players in Les Bleus’ history.

His penalty was his 19th World Cup goal, taking him back within one of Lionel Messi (20) at the top of the all-time charts, while the duo are level in the Golden Boot race for this tournament. Mbappe’s 11 knockout-stage goals at World Cups, meanwhile, are at least three more than any other player in the competition’s history.

“We knew what kind of match we were going to have,” Mbappe said. “We can also get our hands dirty; we know how to do it. 

“We know how to play ugly football. I guess they thought we were going to show up in tuxedos, but we were ready.”

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro, however, saw things differently, as he said: “We fought like lions.

“It took us 16 years to get back to a World Cup, while Mbappe won the World Cup the first time he played in it, got to the final in his second and now is fighting to be the top scorer.

“We worked so hard to get a different result, but I will leave here with the knowledge that we came to compete, and we did compete.

“I have no doubt that this World Cup has made us all better, although I am sad to go out because I hoped we might go further.”

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