Paraguay vs France - All-time head-to-head record ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash

France boast a dominating Head-to-head record against Paraguay

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has reached the Round of 16, with just 16 nations still dreaming of lifting football’s biggest prize. Every knockout fixture now carries even greater significance, with the winners advancing to the quarter-finals.

One of the most intriguing ties will see Paraguay take on France at Philadelphia Stadium, where the South American side will look to continue their fairy-tale run after knocking out Germany on penalties in the Round of 32. France, meanwhile, booked their place with a convincing 3-0 victory over Sweden.

Paraguay vs France all-time head-to-head record

While the two teams have not met frequently over the years, every previous encounter has gone in France’s favour or ended level, giving Les Bleus a clear historical edge heading into this contest.Paraguay vs France head-to-head recordParaguay and France have met five times in senior international football, with Les Bleus remaining unbeaten across all those encounters.

France have won three matches, while the other two ended in draws. Their meetings span the FIFA World Cup and international friendlies, with perhaps the most memorable clash coming in the Round of 16 of the 1998 World Cup, when France needed extra time to finally break down a resilient Paraguayan defence.

• Matches played: 5
• France wins: 3
• Paraguay wins: 0
• Draws: 2
• Goals scored by France: 15
• Goals scored by Paraguay: 4
• FIFA World Cup meetings: 2
• International friendlies: 3

Paraguay vs France : All Previous meetings

The rivalry began at the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden, where France and Paraguay met in the group stage. It turned into a goal fest, with Les Bleus producing a thrilling 7-3 victory. French striker Just Fontaine stole the headlines by scoring a hat-trick, while Raymond Kopa also played a starring role as France overwhelmed Paraguay in one of the highest-scoring matches in World Cup history.

The teams met again nearly three decades later in Paris in 1985 in an international friendly. France once again proved too strong, securing a comfortable 3-1 victory. Paraguay managed to get on the scoresheet, but the hosts controlled much of the contest to maintain their unbeaten record in the fixture.

The next Head-to-head fixture is one of the most iconic meeting between the two nations came at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. Paraguay, inspired by legendary goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert, frustrated the hosts for almost two hours with a superb defensive display. However, in the 114th minute, Laurent Blanc etched his name into football history by scoring the tournament’s first-ever golden goal, sending France into the quarter-finals while heartbreakingly ending Paraguay’s memorable campaign.

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The fourth meeting produced the first draw between the sides in 2011. Paraguay once again showcased their defensive discipline, restricting France to very few clear-cut chances. Despite enjoying more possession, Les Bleus were unable to find a breakthrough as the match ended goalless.

The most recent encounter which happened in 2017 was one-sided from start to finish. France dominated proceedings and ran out emphatic 5-0 winners in Rennes. Olivier Giroud opened the scoring before Moussa Sissoko, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembélé and Alexandre Lacazette all got on the scoresheet, underlining the attacking quality within Didier Deschamps’ squad.

Paraguay vs France : All Previous meeting results

• 15 June 1958: France 7-3 Paraguay – FIFA World Cup (Group Stage)
• 21 August 1985: France 3-1 Paraguay – International Friendly
• 28 June 1998: France 1-0 Paraguay (AET) – FIFA World Cup (Round of 16)
• 1 June 2011: France 0-0 Paraguay – International Friendly
• 2 June 2017: France 5-0 Paraguay – International Friendly

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