​Live grades for Kylian Mbappe and the rest of the France vs. Morocco players in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. With the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup now down to its final eight, the first of four semifinals will be decided as tournament favorites France face African powerhouse Morocco in their quarterfinal from Boston on Thursday.
Kylian Mbappe has been one of the tournament’s most electrifying stars, sitting second in goals with seven, tied with Erling Haaland and one behind Lionel Messi. France have reached the last two World Cup finals, winning in 2018 and losing in 2022, and they have not been eliminated in the quarterfinals since 2014, when Germany edged them 1-0 in Brazil. Morocco, meanwhile, made history as the first African nation to reach the World Cup semifinals in Qatar 2022, but had previously never advanced beyond the Round of 16.
The Sporting News presents a complete roster of player ratings for the match, examining both teams’ individual contributions from kickoff to the final whistle.
LIVE: Follow France vs. Morocco updates from the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal
Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
Referee: Facundo Tello (ARG)
France starting lineup: 4-2-3-1, right to left: 16. Maignan (GK) — 5. Kounde, 4. Upamecano, 17. Saliba, 3. Digne — 6. Kone, 14. Rabiot — 7. Dembele, 11. Olise, 20. Doue — 10. Mbappe.
Morocco starting lineup: 4-2-3-1: Bounou (GK) — 2. Hakimi, 14. Diop, 3. Mazraoui, 26. Salah-Eddine — 24. El Aynaoui, 6. Bouaddi — 10. B. Diaz, 8. Ounahi, 7. Talbi — 9. Rahimi.
All ratings are on a 10-point scale.
Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan — Grade pending
He had little action in the first half, as Morocco’s first attempt arrived only at the final kick of the period. This section will be updated with commentary, analysis, and highlights as the match continues and the player logs his performance.
Right-back: Jules Kounde — 6
He completed a flawless 21-of-21 passing in the opening half but did not push forward often, as France directed most of its attacks toward the opposite flank. This section will be updated with commentary, analysis, and highlights as the match progresses and the player logs his performance.
Right center-back: Dayot Upamecano — 7
He struck an early header on target but placed it too central, giving goalkeeper Yassine Bounou an easy save. Upamecano’s presence high up the field helped France corral Morocco and stifle counterattacks in the first half, making it tough for Morocco to play out from the back. This section will be updated with commentary, analysis, and highlights as the match progresses and the player logs his performance.
Left center-back: [SEO note: placeholder text appears here for optimization and should be replaced with the actual rating and commentary once available.] This section will be expanded with full analysis and notes on how the pairing impacted the game, including aerial duels, distribution, and positional discipline, as the match unfolds and the player logs his performance.