In the 2026 World Cup Round of 16, the French national team faced Paraguay at the Philadelphia stadium this Saturday, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory. Five Paris Saint-Germain players—all French—were involved in the match: Lucas Hernandez, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembélé. Here are the press ratings for Les Bleus.
Le Parisien:
Mbappé (6)
Barcola (3.5) – Olise (4) – Dembélé (4.5)
Rabiot (5) – Koné (5.5)
Digne (6) – Saliba (6.5) – Upamecano (7) – Koundé (5.5)
Maignan (6)
L’Equipe:
Mbappé (5)
Barcola (3) – Olise (4) – Dembélé (4)
Rabiot (5) – Koné (5)
Digne (6) – Saliba (7) – Upamecano (6) – Koundé (5)
Maignan (6)
These ratings make sense for a French side that dominated possession but struggled significantly to create chances. This was hardly surprising given Paraguay’s tactics, which relied heavily on defensive play and aggression—resulting in a match that was rather difficult to watch. One would have liked to see a bit more “magic” from France’s attacking players, even though the challenge was formidable. That said, a moment of brilliance did come from Doué, whose skillful dribbling sequence led to the penalty.
At the very least, the defense remained composed. Conceding a goal would have been disastrous; maintaining composure throughout the game was essential.
