​Kylian Mbappé was withdrawn early in France’s FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Morocco after picking up an injury. The match took place on a sunny Thursday in Boston, with France and Morocco both aiming to reach the semifinals. Mbappé was at the heart of the action, missing a first-half penalty that frustrated the officials before he finally found his rhythm after the break.
Around the 60-minute mark, the Real Madrid forward bent a shot into the corner to give France the lead, and five minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled the advantage, suggesting Didier Deschamps’ side were on track for another win. Yet, the game turned on its head with just under 15 minutes remaining when Mbappé went down without contact and was forced off the field. The reports from The Mirror US confirmed the substitution, which came as a concern for France, who cannot afford to lose one of the world’s best players.
Deschamps reshuffled his attack, bringing in Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta in place of Mbappé, while Bradley Barcola also came on for Desire Doué. France’s plan without Mbappé posed a different challenge, even though the star forward had earlier failed to convert from the spot. It was Mbappé who had earned the foul that led to the penalty: a blistering counterattack saw him win possession, glide past Noussair Mazraoui with a deft stepover, and be brought down. However, VAR intervened to review a potential foul in the buildup. The referee paused play after Mbappé had set the ball on the spot and then stepped back. After more than two minutes of wait, Mbappé approached the ball and struck a weak penalty to his right, which Yassine Bono saved with ease.
For more updates, listeners can catch the latest episode of the All Out Soccer podcast. Mbappé’s miss marked his second failed penalty for France, with his previous miss coming against Kazakhstan in 2021. Statistically, Mbappé’s goal in this match took his World Cup tally to 20, and it was his eighth of the ongoing tournament, placing him level with Lionel Messi at the top of a fierce Golden Boot race that continues to captivate fans.
Mbappé’s influence remains undeniable because of the threat he poses whenever he operates in the space behind the front three, commonly complemented by Michael Olise, Barcola, and Dembélé. France’s attack in the absence of Mbappé faced a slightly different dynamic, but the danger he creates continues to be a decisive factor in their World Cup aspirations. Dembélé’s goal against Morocco also underscored a wider accomplishment for France: they became the first country since Brazil in 2002 to have two players each scoring five or more goals in a single World Cup edition, with Dembélé on five and Mbappé on eight this summer.
France sealed a 2-0 victory over Morocco, mirroring the scoreline from their 2022 World Cup semifinal clash between the two nations. Yet the result aside, the biggest concern for Les Bleus is Mbappé’s fitness heading into the semifinals and potentially the final. While Mbappé appeared unfazed during full-time celebrations, his availability for the next round remained in question as the team awaited an official update on his injury status.