Paraguay national team goalkeeper throws ball at Mbappe's back for refusing handshake

Paraguay national team goalkeeper Gil throws ball at Messi's back after refusing to shake hand

The conflict involving France national team forward and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gil occurred after the end of the round of 16 match of the 2026 World Cup.

Immediately after the game, Mbappe refused to shake hands with Gil. In response, Gil reacted emotionally to his opponent's action and threw the ball at Mbappe's back as he headed toward his teammates. However, no mass brawl occurred, as the players were quickly separated by team officials and other players.

The game ended with a 1:0 victory for the France national team. Mbappe scored the only goal from a penalty in the 70th minute. The Frenchman shot low into the right corner of the goal, while Gil jumped in the opposite direction. This penalty was earned by 21-year-old forward Desire Doue, who dribbled past several players in the penalty area and received a deliberate kick to the legs from Diego Gomez.

Mbappe now has seven goals scored at the 2026 World Cup. The Frenchman tied Lionel Messi in this statistic.

In the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, the France national team will play against the Morocco team, which defeated the Canada national team 3:0 in the round of 16 match. The game between France and Morocco will take place on the night of July 9 to 10.

Source: Gazeta.Ru