France are safely through to the World Cup quarter-finals, but their tense 1-0 win over Paraguay has exploded into one of the tournamentâs fiercest refereeing debates.
Kylian Mbappeâs penalty was enough to send Didier Deschampsâ side into a showdown with Morocco, yet the fallout from the match has focused less on Franceâs progression and more on the way Paraguay approached the contest â and how referee Ilgiz Tantashev allowed it to unfold.
French newspapers have branded referee Ilgiz Tantashev a ‘complete disaster’ after he failed to tackle Paraguay’s dark arts during their World Cup last-16 tie
Kylian Mbappe expressed his frustration with the official, who failed to clamp down on Paraguay’s physical approach against France
Matias Galarza (left) is seen putting in a nasty challenge on Kylian Mbappe that went unpunished
French media were furious after the final whistle. LâEquipe handed Tantashev a brutal 1/10 rating, an extremely rare mark for a referee, while Le Figaro described his display as a complete disaster. The criticism centred on his failure to control Paraguayâs physical style, repeated attempts to disrupt France, and time-wasting tactics that went largely unpunished.
Paraguay finished the match without a single yellow card, despite several flashpoints that angered French players, pundits and supporters. Footage appeared to show Dayot Upamecano being caught in the ribs, Jules Kounde being pushed in the face, and Michael Olise nearly being dragged into a confrontation after what pundits described as play-acting. France, meanwhile, had three players booked.
Things eventually boiled over after the final whistle as the two sets of players scrapped near the centre circle
Uzbekistani referee Tantashev shows Michael Olise a yellow card. Paraguay escaped without receiving a single booking
It is believed Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill attempted to shake Mbappe’s hand but was ignored by the centre forward
In response he seemed to throw the ball at the Real Madrid star as tempers flared
The biggest moment came when France were awarded the decisive penalty after a foul on Desire Doue. Even then, the drama continued, with Paraguay players accused of trying to damage the penalty spot before Mbappe stepped up. The Real Madrid forward kept his nerve, converted from 12 yards, and gave France the breakthrough they desperately needed.
But the tension did not end there. After full-time, players from both teams clashed near the centre circle, and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill appeared to throw the ball toward Mbappe after the striker ignored his attempted handshake. Gill later admitted he had briefly lost his temper, while Mbappe made it clear France had been ready to fight for the win in whatever way was required.
Mbappe and Co were able to keep their cool in the face of relentless provocation
Joe Hart, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Micah Richards piled into the Paraguay team
BBC pundits were equally scathing. Joe Hart called Paraguayâs behaviour disgraceful and said the referee had failed to protect the game. Micah Richards argued Paraguay were good enough defensively not to rely on such tactics, while Thomas Hitzlsperger said he had lost respect for the South American side because of their conduct.
For France, the night was ugly but valuable. They had already shown their attacking power earlier in the tournament, but this was a different kind of test: hostile, physical, emotional and full of provocation. Deschampsâ players managed to stay composed enough to avoid the red card Paraguay seemed desperate to provoke.
Galarza feigns injury in an attempt to get Michael Olise sent off in the second half
France players were left frustrated with Paraguay’s violent approach to the last 16 game
The controversy will not disappear quickly, and many fans are now calling for Tantashev not to receive another match at this World Cup. France, however, will care most about the result. They survived the chaos, kept their nerve, and moved one step closer to another world title challenge.
