France beats Morocco 2‑0, Mbappé propels side to World Cup semi‑finals
France advanced to the semi‑finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Morocco 2‑0 in the quarter‑finals at Boston Stadium. Kylian Mbappé missed a first‑half penalty but later scored the opening goal in the 60th minute and set up Ousmane Dembélé for the second, sealing the win.
The victory gave Mbappé several historic milestones: he became the youngest player to reach 20 World Cup appearances, the fastest to 20 World Cup goals and joined Lionel Messi as joint top‑scorer of the tournament with eight goals. He also became the first player to record 10+ goal involvements in two separate World Cups and tied Gerd Müller’s record for most direct contributions (goals + assists) in a single edition.
Post‑match, Mbappé downplayed a knock to his right ankle, saying he was “all good” after being substituted in the 77th minute. Team captain Adrien Rabiot called Morocco “no threat” in his post‑match interview. Coach Didier Deschamps, now the most‑winning manager in World Cup history with 19 victories, will see France face either Spain or Belgium in the semi‑final in Dallas.
The result also eliminated the only African nation left in the knockout stage, ending Morocco’s campaign after its strong run.