​France can breathe easy. Kylian Mbappé is all right. After scoring his eighth goal of this World Cup and the 20th of his undefeated tournament career on Thursday, Mbappé left the field early during France’s 2-0 quarterfinal win over Morocco, but he assured fans that he will be ready for next week’s semifinal. He explained that he has a minor ankle issue, yet feels completely fine. He added that Jean-Philippe Mateta was better positioned to play the remaining minutes and was fitter at that moment, and that was the extent of the situation. Mbappé departed the field in the 77th minute under his own power, waving to the crowd with two arms in his familiar celebration. Just 17 minutes earlier, the 27-year-old superstar had found the net, keeping pace with Lionel Messi, who also boasts five goals since the start of the tournament. The two leaders are tied atop the scoring charts for the tournament, though Messi, at 39, currently holds a one-goal edge in the race for the career World Cup scoring record.
Ousmane Dembélé added a second goal for France six minutes after Mbappé’s strike, doubling the advantage. The reigning Ballon d’Or winner had gone scoreless in his first 12 World Cup appearances but has now tallied five goals in his last five matches. In other developments, the news cycle brought coverage of various topics, from pop culture moments to intriguing sports trivia, highlighting the broader world around the tournament.
France will return to action on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, facing the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium. The specter of three consecutive World Cup finals looms large over Les Bleus, and fans across the country are hopeful they can reach that milestone again. Mbappé spoke about the inspiration provided by the supporters, saying, “I want them to keep watching the games, to give us strength. Even if they’re not in the stadium, we can feel their energy, and we will try to rally the masses for the next matches.”
Morocco, meanwhile, were shut out for the first time in this tournament and eliminated by France for the second straight World Cup, after a 2-0 defeat in the 2022 semifinals. They are the last African team to fall after nine of 10 qualifiers reached the knockout phase, though only two advanced beyond the round of 32. Playing without injured forward Ismaïl Saïrabi, the Atlas Lions were mostly outplayed for the majority of the afternoon, managing only one notable chance — a long-distance effort from Azzedine Ounahi that required a save from France goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the 83rd minute.
Morocco’s manager, Walid Regragui’s successor at the press conference, acknowledged the need for a candid appraisal of the team’s performance. “Of course we need to take stock of the situation if we want to progress; it’s essential,” Mohamed Ouahbi said. “We cannot simply say we’re happy and proud of what we’ve done. We need to move forward, and in order to do so, we must be objective and undertake self-criticism.” He emphasized the importance of learning from the experience to continue growing on the world stage.