July 5 (Reuters) - Paraguay's remarkable World Cup journey came to a grinding halt against France, but not before the South American underdogs proved that good old-fashioned grit and a few questionable tactics can still rattle football's elite.
The tournament outsiders, making their first World Cup appearance since 2010, bowed out in the last 16 following a narrow defeat in Philadelphia.
But their campaign will be remembered as much for their defensive discipline as their mastery of football's darker arts.
After scraping through to the knockout stage as a third-placed team, Paraguay delivered one of the competition's biggest shocks by eliminating Germany in a penalty shootout, showcasing nerves of steel when it mattered most.
Their success was built on defensive organisation that frustrated technically superior opponents, with the team content to cede possession and finish with the lowest average share of the ball during the tournament.
Following a humbling loss to co-hosts United States, Paraguay's structured back line, disciplined midfield and outstanding goalkeeper Orlando Gill proved that sometimes the best defence really is a good defence.
Rather than attempting to match stronger teams in an open game, they embraced a compact, hard-working identity that made them incredibly difficult to beat.
Against France, Paraguay stuck to their tried-and-tested formula, adopting a cautious approach designed to frustrate one of the tournament favourites.
For over an hour, their game plan worked to perfection as they limited clear-cut chances despite France controlling over 75% of possession, until Kylian Mbappe's VAR-awarded penalty sealed their fate.
PARAGUAY'S DARK ARTS
But Paraguay's performance was equally defined by their use of football's dark arts to disrupt France's rhythm.
Recognising the gulf in technical quality, they remained physical throughout, challenging aggressively and making life difficult for France's attackers at every opportunity.
Remarkably, Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev did not produce a single yellow card for Paraguay while three French players were booked, earning the official a scathing '1/10' rating from French outlet L'Equipe.
"We got three yellow cards with a lot of fouls. I'm not saying that we did not make any fouls, but there were a lot from both teams," Deschamps said.
Paraguay's gamesmanship reached its peak when Gustavo Velazquez was spotted scuffing the penalty spot before France's decisive penalty, drawing fierce criticism from former England goalkeeper Joe Hart.
"If I'm Gill, I don't care if that's my own player. I'm ripping his shirt off his back," Hart said on BBC.
"That is not how I want to play the game. Disgusting!"
Their gamesmanship kept the match finely balanced for long periods, forcing France to remain patient before eventually securing victory.
While their tactics were questioned, there was little doubt Paraguay squeezed every ounce of potential from their squad, embracing a compact, hard-working identity that made them incredibly difficult to beat.
Although elimination will sting, Paraguay leave the tournament with their reputation enhanced.
Reaching the knockout stages, defeating Germany and pushing France to the limit represents significant progress for a nation seeking to re-establish itself among football's most competitive sides.
"It took us 16 years to get back to a World Cup," Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said.
"We worked so hard to get a different result, but I will leave here with the knowledge that we came to compete and we did compete."
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Miami; Editing by Toby Chopra)
