France midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni ruled out of World Cup round of 16 against Paraguay

Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni suffered a thigh injury during France's final training session in Philadelphia and will miss the round‑of‑16 match against Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup. The 26‑year‑old, a Real Madrid player and France vice‑captain, had featured for full 90 minutes in three of France's four games, including a 3‑0 victory over Sweden that secured the French side's place in the knockout stage.

Coach Didier Deschamps said the team will replace Tchouaméni, most likely with fellow midfielder Manu Koné, and emphasized Paraguay's quality, noting “Paraguay did not reach this stage through aggression alone; they know their game well.” Paraguay entered the match after eliminating Germany in the previous round. The fixture will be played at Philadelphia Stadium, USA, on the night of 4 July 2026.