France secures World Cup semi-final spot, Mbappé injury raises concern

By Rohan Gupta — 10 July 2026 — 4 min read

France has advanced to the World Cup semi-finals after a 2-0 victory over Morocco. The win marks their third consecutive semi-final appearance in the tournament. Despite the team’s dominant performance, there was concern regarding Kylian Mbappé, who was substituted late in the game due to discomfort.

Didier Deschamps, the France coach, praised his players’ mentality following the match. He highlighted the team’s consistent presence in the semi-finals, stating that while it might seem logical, achieving it still requires significant effort. Deschamps attributed the success to the players, noting the importance of the human aspect within the team and their dedication to the jersey.

The match saw France dominate from the outset, though they initially missed several scoring opportunities. Kylian Mbappé, who had an early penalty saved, eventually broke the deadlock with a goal. Six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé extended France‘s lead, securing their win. Deschamps defended Mbappé, referring to him as the captain and exemplary, despite some criticism.

Mbappé was withdrawn from the game with 13 minutes remaining due to ankle discomfort, but he is not expected to miss the semi-final. Midfielder Manu Koné was also substituted because of a knee injury and cramps.

Match Performance and Moroccan Reaction

Kylian Mbappé‘s goal was described as a fine finish, coming after he had a penalty saved earlier in the game. This goal brought his tournament tally to eight, drawing him level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. Mbappé then assisted Ousmane Dembélé for France‘s second goal, with Dembélé scoring low into the bottom corner.

Mohamed Ouahbi, the Morocco coach, acknowledged the skill gap between his team and France. He noted that France entered a comfort zone during the match. Ouahbi had considered making early substitutions but decided against it, observing that Morocco gained more control in the second half. He expressed curiosity about how France might have reacted if they hadn’t scored.

Ouahbi recognised France as a great team with excellent and talented players, particularly their forwards, who demonstrate strong work ethic. He pointed out their consistent performance, having reached the last two World Cup finals, and their solid, transition-focused play. Despite the loss, Ouahbi urged a calm response, emphasising the potential for improvement with their young players and federation support, even suggesting they might beat France in the World Cup in four years.

Upcoming Fixtures and Player Contributions

France is set to face either Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals. The upcoming match will take place in Dallas on Tuesday. The second quarter-final between Spain and Belgium is scheduled for 3pm ET in Los Angeles.

In other quarter-final matches, Norway will play England in Miami at 5pm ET, and Argentina will face Switzerland in Kansas City at 9pm ET on Saturday. These matches will determine the second semi-final pairing.

While Kylian Mbappé has been a significant goal scorer for France in this World Cup, contributing to half of their goals, the team’s scoring is not solely dependent on him. Ousmane Dembélé has scored five goals in the competition. Other forwards like Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue have also contributed goals. This contrasts with teams where a single player accounts for a larger proportion of goals, such as Argentina with Lionel Messi or Norway with Erling Haaland.

The penalty incident involving Mbappé saw a delay of three minutes and 10 seconds before he could take the kick. Despite the clear foul, the referee’s focus on players at the edge of the penalty area caused the delay. Mbappé’s penalty was saved by Yassine Bounou, marking Mbappé’s first miss after 15 successful conversions. Bounou has now saved more World Cup penalties, including shootouts, than any other goalkeeper in the competition’s history.

Boston hosted seven World Cup games at Gillette Stadium, with 16 goals scored across these matches. France was the only team to maintain a perfect record in Foxborough, having played there twice, including a 4-1 victory over Norway.

Morocco played without their main goal threat, Ismael Saibari, due to a hamstring issue, which led to a strikerless system. This approach resulted in a lack of goal threat, and the team appeared conservative and lacked their usual attacking flair. The reliance on players like Brahim Diaz, Chemsdine Talbi, and Bilal El Khannouss to break from deep did not materialise. France will next face either Spain or Belgium for a place in the final.

Source: theguardian.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter