France authoritatively defeated Morocco with a 2-0 result, where Kylian Mbappe was the protagonist of the match due to the goal he scored, the missed penalty saved by Bono, and his surprising substitution in the second half. Didier Deschamps offered the explanation as to why that decision was made.
Deschamps’ first reaction to Mbappe’s substitution, according to Bein Sports: “With Kylian, it was a bit of his ankle; he was feeling a bit of pain. Manu took a blow to the knee—it’s normal; the matches are coming thick and fast. It’s good for Warren, though I can’t please everyone.”
“I imagine there is a lot of fervor in France; here, we are a bit in our own bubble,” Deschamps added. “We are passing another milestone today, finding ourselves in the final four once again… it means we are right where we belong!” Mbappe was substituted in the 77th minute for Jean Mateta.
Mbappe injury update
Beyond the words of Deschamps, Mbappe provided his own injury update, bringing calm to anxious fans. He made it clear that it is nothing serious or anything to worry about, adding that exiting the pitch was the right decision for both himself and the team during the final stage of the match.
Kylian Mbappe of France.
“I’m okay, I took a blow to the ankle but I’m fine,” Mbappe said. “At that moment, JP (Mateta) was better suited than I was to play the final 15 minutes, so I came off and he came on. It’s good, plus he almost scored.”
What is next for France?
France secured their third consecutive World Cup semifinal appearance, a streak that began in 2018 when they were crowned champions. They are now just one match away from reaching three straight finals, a tremendous statistic in a World Cup. The milestone also extends to Kylian Mbappe, who remains one of their key figures with 8 goals already scored in this edition.
France await their opponent, as Spain and Belgium will play in the quarterfinals to determine who advances. The semifinal match is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET at Dallas Stadium, a matchup where the men led by Deschamps enter as favorites.
