Paraguayan defender Juan José Cáceres says Mbappé asked for a kiss after France's 1‑0 win

France advanced to the quarter‑finals of the 2026 World Cup by beating Paraguay 1‑0 in the round of 16, a match marked by intense physical play and rough challenges. Paraguay’s right‑back Juan José Cáceres, who plays for Dinamo Moscow, recounted that Kylian Mbappé approached him and asked, “Do you want to give me a kiss?” Cáceres replied humorously, “Well, since you suggested it…”. He said he did not hear any insult toward his mother and dismissed claims of verbal abuse. Both players acknowledged the match’s physicality, with Mbappé noting that France also played “dirty” and were the better side on that aspect. Cáceres emphasized that Paraguay gave their all on the pitch, treating every ball like a final and leaving the field with “heads held high”.