World Cup 2026: ‘I Would’ve Got Red Cards’ — Ibrahimovic Reacts To Paraguay’s Display Against France

Zlatan Ibrahimovic praised France’s composure against Paraguay, joking that he would have received several red cards while facing the South Americans’ physical approach.

Former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has praised France for maintaining their composure during a physical encounter against Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

France secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the South American side at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday to book a place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Morocco.

The decisive moment came in the 70th minute after substitute Desire Doue was brought down inside the penalty area.

Following a Video Assistant Referee review, referee Ilgiz Tantashev awarded a penalty after consulting the pitchside monitor, and France captain Kylian Mbappe calmly converted from the spot to seal the victory.

Reacting to Paraguay’s aggressive approach, Ibrahimovic admitted he would have struggled to remain disciplined had he been involved in the match.

The former AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United forward commended the French players for refusing to be drawn into confrontations despite repeated provocations from their opponents.

“If I played tonight, I would have got four or five red cards. France showed composure, they stayed relaxed, they gave them a smile. That is the best way to respond, smile and don’t fall into their games,” Ibrahimovic said during his analysis on FOX Sports.

Paraguay entered the knockout stage as one of the tournament’s surprise packages after eliminating Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout in the previous round.

Against France, they adopted a disciplined defensive strategy, sitting deep for most of the contest and limiting the attacking space available to Didier Deschamps’ side.

The South Americans finished the match with just 24 per cent possession but remained competitive through a resilient defensive display.

Goalkeeper Orlando Gill was one of Paraguay’s standout performers, producing several impressive saves to deny Mbappe and keep his side in contention until the decisive penalty.

France’s victory keeps alive their hopes of lifting another World Cup title, while Mbappe continues to lead the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot heading into the quarter-finals.