French Player Mbappe Faces Controversial Foul Ignored by Referee in World Cup Round of 16

During the 2026 World Cup round of 16 match between France and Paraguay, played under intense heat, the South American team employed a notably physical style to challenge the French squad. Paraguayan defender Matias Galarza of River Plate drew significant criticism after a deliberate foul against French star Kylian Mbappe in the 39th minute. Galarza struck Mbappe's arm with his hand off the ball, an action that went unpunished by the referee.

French media outlet FootMercato condemned the foul as malicious, noting Mbappe fell to the ground but the referee did not call a foul. Spanish journalist Jose Luis Sanchez criticized the refereeing, suggesting Paraguay gained an unfair advantage through cunning aggression and contrasting the treatment of Mbappe with that of Lionel Messi, implying harsher penalties would have been applied if Messi were fouled. In England, the BBC highlighted Mbappe's frustration over the lack of free kicks awarded despite multiple fouls against him during the match. The incident has sparked debate over refereeing standards and fairness in the tournament.