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Why Is N’Golo Kanté Not Playing Today for France vs. Paraguay In the World Cup?
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- Why Is N’Golo Kanté Not Playing Today for France vs. Paraguay In the World Cup?
France enters their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Paraguay as heavy favorites, after a dominant performance in the group and Round of 32.
Les Bleus cruised through the group stage with a perfect record, securing a 3-1 win over Senegal , a 3-0 victory against Iraq, and a 4-1 triumph over Norway .
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They carried that form straight into the knockout rounds, comfortably brushing Sweden aside with a 3-0 victory in the Round of 32. The French frontline is in spectacular form, led by captain Kylian Mbappé , who already has six goals to his name. At the same time, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé have also been crucial players in the tournament so far.
While France has the edge on paper, they face a Paraguay side that has proven to be an unpredictable squad.
Despite a shaky start to their campaign, the South Americans pulled off one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history by eliminating Germany in a penalty shootout in the previous round.
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Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between France and Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium.Al Bello/Getty Images
France will need to avoid complacency against a defensive-minded Paraguay block that relies heavily on the counter-attacking threat of Julio Enciso and goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
Why Is Kanté Not Playing Against Paraguay In the World Cup?
France manager Didier Deschamps has left N'Golo Kanté out of the starting lineup for today's Round of 16 clash, opting instead to start Manu Koné alongside Adrien Rabiot in midfield. Kanté is available off the bench should France need his experience later in the match.
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With Aurélien Tchouaméni sidelined by a groin injury, Didier Deschamps opted to replace France's first-choice defensive midfielder with Manu Koné rather than hand N'Golo Kanté a starting role. Kanté begins the Round of 16 clash on the bench and remains available as a second-half.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Soccer section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
