France captain Kylian Mbappe suffered an ankle scare during their 2-0 victory over Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal on Thursday, July 9, but manager Didier Deschamps has provided a positive update, stating the substitution was a precautionary measure.
Mbappe's Performance and Injury
The Real Madrid forward endured a difficult start to the match, missing a first-half penalty. However, he redeemed himself by scoring the opening goal in the 60th minute with a brilliant finish. Ousmane Dembele then doubled France's advantage just six minutes later, calmly finishing from the edge of Morocco's penalty area to seal the victory, according to Sofascore.
Despite leading comfortably, Deschamps replaced Mbappe with Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 78th minute due to the ankle issue.
Deschamps' Injury Update
Speaking after the match, Deschamps revealed that Mbappe had felt pain in his ankle, while midfielder Manu Kone also suffered a knee knock. According to beIN Sports, the France boss explained that removing Mbappe was largely a precautionary decision.
“Kylian has a small ankle problem. He was feeling some pain,” Deschamps said. He added that France had taken another important step by reaching the final four and insisted they remained focused despite the excitement surrounding the team back home.
France's Semi-Final Opponent
France will now face either Spain or Belgium in the World Cup semi-final on July 14. The team's progress has been impressive, but the injury concern surrounding their star player remains a talking point.
Earlier, a mysterious cat named Nimbus Pronos, known for its uncanny ability to forecast football match outcomes, had predicted France's victory over Morocco. The win sets up a highly anticipated semi-final clash as France aims to defend their World Cup title.
