‘I'd get four red cards!’ - Zlatan on Paraguay’s ‘dirty tricks’

Paraguay v France: Round of 16 - FIFA World Cup 2026

Former Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has admitted he would have struggled to maintain his composure during France’s ill-tempered World Cup victory over Paraguay. The Swedish legend praised Les Bleus for keeping their cool in the face of relentless physical provocation during the knockout encounter.

Paraguay’s physical approach fails to derail France

France secured their progression to the World Cup quarter-finals with a slender 1-0 win over Paraguay, but the match was defined more by its bruising physicality than its technical quality. A 70th-minute penalty from Kylian Mbappe was ultimately enough to separate the sides, but the French stars were forced to endure a gauntlet of "dirty tricks" throughout the 90 minutes.

Despite committing 13 fouls and frequently targeting the French attackers with aggressive challenges, the South American side somehow finished the match without a single yellow card. In contrast, Didier Deschamps’ men were cautioned three times, leading to frustration among the French contingent who felt they were being unfairly targeted without protection from the officials.

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Zlatan admits he would have lost his cool

Speaking in the aftermath of the feisty encounter on Fox Sports, Ibrahimovic offered a blunt assessment of how he would have handled the situation. The former Milan and PSG striker suggested that his temperament would not have been suited to such a provocatory environment. Ibrahimovic was quick to point out that the French players did well to remain focused on the result rather than the rough treatment.

"It was a different challenge for them today," Ibrahimovic said. "It was more about not being provocated, to stay composed, stay calm, don't lose your balance. And don't fall for the tricks that they were doing. I would get four red cards in this game! And maybe send somebody to... but yes, it is what it is. I like to play the real game. I don't like somebody trying to provocate. But it's part of the game, and it's not part of the game."

The best way to respond to provocation

Ibrahimovic continued by highlighting the maturity shown by Les Bleus, who refused to be drawn into an all-out brawl. By securing the win despite the difficult conditions, the legendary forward believes France sent the strongest possible message to their opponents. He noted that staying professional under fire is often the hallmark of potential champions.

"France, they showed calm, they were relaxed," Ibrahimovic added. "They did what they needed to do. They gave them a smile. That's the best way to respond - smile, score goals, win the game, go with your fans now and celebrate. That's the best way to respond."

Kylian Mbappe France 2026 World Cup goal

A quarter-final showdown awaits

By overcoming the "UFC-style" tactics mentioned by fans on social media, France have proven they can handle different styles of opposition. France will now turn their attention to a massive clash against Morocco, who secured their own path to the last eight with a dominant win over Canada. The meeting between two countries was a repeat of their previous encounter four years ago in Qatar. In the semi-final, France defeated Morocco 2-0 thanks to goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani.