Paraguay's underdog run continues against France today

Paraguay's surprise World Cup run continues today in Philadelphia, where they face France in the Round of 16 on a day that also carries extra weight as part of the tournament's Independence Day schedule in the United States.

Paraguay have already gone further than almost anyone predicted before the tournament, and they got here the hard way — needing penalties to see off Germany 4-3 in the Round of 32 after normal time finished 1-1. That result alone said a lot about this team: they're not the most talented side left in the competition, but they've shown they can grind out results even when they're not playing their best football, and that they don't panic under pressure. France, by contrast, arrive here as one of the most dangerous attacking teams left in the tournament and go into this game as heavy favourites, with players capable of deciding a match in a moment of individual brilliance.

On paper, this looks like a straightforward night for France. But football at this stage of a World Cup rarely goes exactly to plan, and a Paraguay side with nothing to lose can be a genuinely awkward opponent for a team that's expected to win comfortably. There's very little pressure on Paraguay here — reaching the Round of 16 was already beyond most expectations, so anything from this game is a bonus rather than a target they need to hit. That kind of freedom can sometimes bring out a team's best performance, especially against opposition that might be tempted to take the game for granted.

For neutrals, it's exactly the kind of fixture that makes World Cup knockout football compelling: a heavy favourite against an underdog who has already shown they can handle high-pressure moments when it matters. Whatever happens tonight, Paraguay's run so far has already given their fans and neutrals around the world a story worth following, and a good performance against France — win or lose — would only add to that.