Kylian Mbappé leads France past Morocco, addresses ankle injury ahead of semifinal

France advanced to the semi‑finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Morocco 2‑0 in the quarter‑final at Gillette Stadium. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 60th minute, missed a first‑half penalty, and then assisted Ousmane Dembélé for the second goal six minutes later. His goal took him to eight tournament goals, tying Lionel Messi and making him the joint top‑scorer, the fastest player to reach 20 World Cup goals and the first to net eight goals in two different editions.

Mbappé was forced off in the 77th minute after a light ankle knock and was replaced by Jean‑Philippe Mateta. The French captain later confirmed, “I’m fine, just a knock on the ankle,” adding that the injury was a precaution and that he would be ready for the semi‑final against either Spain or Belgium, scheduled for 14 July in Dallas/Arlington. He also noted that there is “no emotion on the field” when facing his close friend Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, emphasizing a focus on winning.

The victory moved France into the tournament’s semi‑final stage, where they will face the winner of the Spain‑Belgium quarter‑final, while Mbappé continues to lead the Golden Boot race with three assists and eight goals.