Kylian Mbappe was the target of a ball thrown by Paraguay's goalkeeper Orlando Gill after a contentious World Cup match that saw France advance to the Round of 16 with a 1-0 victory. The incident occurred after the final whistle in Philadelphia, following a match marked by its physical intensity and escalating tempers.
Mbappe scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. Throughout the match, Paraguay adopted an aggressive approach, with players like Andres Cubas, Matias Galarza, and Juan Jose Caceres frequently targeting French players, including Mbappe. One particular incident involved Caceres kicking Mbappe in the shin in the 77th minute, which appeared to contribute to the heightened emotions at the end of the game.
Following the match, Gill reportedly attempted to shake Mbappe's hand, but when ignored, he threw a ball at the French star's back. This occurred shortly after Mbappe had seemingly taunted Gill following his penalty goal. The exchange led to a brawl near the center circle involving players from both teams.
"I think that today, the match we had, the way we played it, was very good," Mbappe said after the game. "We showed that we're not just a team that knows how to play attacking football. If we have to get our hands dirty, we'll get our hands dirty, excuse the expression. We have no problem with that."
Gill admitted to losing his temper briefly. "I gave him my hand to congratulate him but he ignored me. Obviously I entered a heated moment, but that's all I did. After that, I calmed down," he explained. "I just wanted to congratulate them. The truth is, they've had an excellent campaign as they're the favorites to be world champions." He also defended Paraguay's physical style, stating, "From the very first moment, we set out to make our presence felt on the pitch - to play hard. If the ball gets through, the man doesn't. And, honestly, I think the team handled itself well."
France coach Didier Deschamps expressed a different view. "They pull out every trick in the book," he 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."
France defender William Saliba characterized the match as a "battle," adding, "We won the battle."
France is set to face Morocco in their next match on Thursday in the Round of 16.