World Cup 2026

Mbappé provides semi-final injury update

Kylian Mbappé scored a wonderful goal before being taken off early after getting a knock.

El delantero francés se tira al suelo, pide el cambio y es sustituido por Barcola.
FRANCK FIFE
Joe Brennan
Football Journalist
Born in Leeds, Joe finished his Spanish degree in 2018 before becoming an English teacher to football (soccer) players and managers, as well as collaborating with various football media outlets in English and Spanish. He joined AS in 2022 and covers both the men’s and women’s game across Europe and beyond.
Update:

Kylian Mbappé’s biggest shock of the night was not taking the ball from the left, darting inside at the pace of a steroid-infused cheetah, jinking past a Moroccan defender, and bending the ball past arguably the planet’s most in-form goalkeeper.

It was being forced off with an injury that meant his night came to a premature end.

France’s win over Morocco was as pain-free as a World Cup quarter-final could be. The African side failed to grip the game as they had done all tournament, and a previously unseen soft underbelly was exposed by the French who did not hold back.

Mbappé’s missed penalty could have been the lifeline they needed, but it simply served as an appetiser for the Real Madrid forward to get a taste of what scoring would feel like. Dembélé hit one past Bono from range shortly after his compatriot, and that was that. France’s ticket to the semi-final was stamped and the world waited for news on Mbappé’s physical status.

“I got a knock on the ankle"

And they didn’t have to wait long. As the final whistle was blown, Mbappé, who had been seen on the bench with his ankle wrapped in ice, headed straight for the French fans and begun to dance in front of them. Panic over.

I’m all good,” he confirmed to the media after the game. “I got a knock on the ankle, but it’s all good. JP [Mateta] was more able than me to play the last 15 minutes."

On his team’s progression, Mbappé said that the squad “are very happy.”

He added that “we are aware that there is only one way to relax, it’s to win. But we still have a long way. We know that what is coming next will be even harder but we are ready for face anything,” Mbappé said. “We will recover nicely and watch the game tomorrow to see who we will face.”

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