Paraguay vs. France: Head-to-head record and past meetings ahead of World Cup 2026 last-16 clash

France will endeavour to move one step closer to 2026 World Cup glory when they face Paraguay in a last-16 clash held in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Les Bleus boast a 100% record at this summer's tournament, with three group-stage wins followed by a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sweden in the round of 32 on Tuesday.

A day earlier, Paraguay stunned four-time world champions Germany with a penalty-shootout triumph following a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes.

Ahead of this weekend's encounter, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two nations.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 5

Paraguay wins: 0

Draws: 2

France wins: 3

Paraguay and France have faced each other five times on the international stage, spanning both competitive and friendly fixtures, and it is Les Bleus who lead the head-to-head record with three wins and two draws.

A whopping 10 goals were scored in the very first meeting between these two nations at the 1958 World Cup, with France securing a 7-3 victory in the group stage courtesy of a hat-trick from Just Fontaine.

Paraguay and France had to wait 40 years for their next encounter on the global stage. A much tighter World Cup contest was played out in the last 16 at the 1998 tournament, with Les Bleus - captained by Didier Deschamps - edging through to the next round via a slender 1-0 scoreline, with Laurent Blanc scoring the Golden Goal in the 114th minute.

Each of the last three meetings between Paraguay and France have been international friendlies, and La Albirroja have held their European counterparts to a draw on two of those occasions.

A goalless stalemate was played out in May 2008 before the two teams drew 1-1 in June 2014. Victor Caceres scored an 89th-minute equaliser for Paraguay to cancel out an opener scored seven minutes earlier by Antoine Griezmann.

The most recent clash between Paraguay and France took place in Rennes in June 2017, and it was certainly a match to forget for La Albirroja as they suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat. Olivier Giroud score a hat-trick for Les Bleus, while Griezmann and Moussa Sissoko were also on the scoresheet.