“I knew it was going to be our 250th birthday, and everybody knows the story of the French helping the U.S. fight the Brits, and so it made sense for me to come here to support the French team,” says Thompson, 42, an education policy consultant who lives in Austin, Texas. “There's a lot of Americans with American jerseys in this stadium today, and I think we're all really excited to see France, and then go see some amazing fireworks in Philly. We don't think about the history enough: who our friends are, and who we should be supporting in sports.”
Fans expecting brilliant French offense in the Philadelphia Stadium sweatbox had reason to be disappointed. Les Bleus put at least three goals on the board in each of their four World Cup games coming into the Paraguay clash, while outscoring their opponents (Senegal, Iraq, Norway, and Sweden) 13-2. Paraguay, however, came in looking to limit France’s chances, by any means necessary—even if that meant knocking French players to the ground, seemingly at every opportunity.
Ousmane Dembélé, winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or as the world player of the year, took the ball in the penalty area as a half-dozen Paraguayan players surrounded him, attempting to get in his head. Dembélé laughed. But Mbappé, naturally, would take the shot. He approached the ball, stuttered, and tucked it inside the right post, as Paraguay’s 6-foot-6 keeper, Orlando Gill, dove in the opposite direction.
Cinderella stories are nice. But Paraguay’s brute tactics betray soccer’s “beautiful game” moniker. Paraguay, which lost to the United States 4-1 in the group stage, is admirable for giving France a challenge. But it’s not a lovable underdog like, say, Cape Verde, the tiny nation that equalized Argentina twice in a Round of 32 classic on Friday before falling 3-2. Paraguay won no hearts and minds. The World Cup’s better with France in it.
The U.S. might not be celebrating its 250th anniversary, and hosting a World Cup soccer game in Philadelphia, or any other city, were it not for France.
Thompson, 42, is now headed for Seattle to support the U.S. team on Monday, against Belgium. He says he’s played soccer since he was 4 years old, but he did not have the opportunity to attend the 1994 World Cup since his family couldn’t afford it.
“Getting to be here, getting to see Mbappé score,” says Thompson, “it's a dream come true.”
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