Kylian Mbappe played a pivotal role in France's 2-0 victory over Morocco, securing a spot in the FIFA World Cup semifinals for the third consecutive tournament. However, the win was marred by an injury concern, as Mbappe was substituted in the 77th minute due to an ankle issue. The forward later reassured fans that the injury was not serious.

Mbappe's Performance and Injury

Despite a rare penalty miss in the first half, where Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved his shot after a foul by Noussair Mazraoui, Mbappe bounced back impressively. He scored his eighth goal of the tournament in the 60th minute, driving into the penalty area and firing a shot inside the post. Just six minutes later, he assisted Ousmane Dembele for France's second goal, solidifying their place in the semifinals against either Spain or Belgium.

Mbappe's injury scare occurred shortly after his goal when he was stepped on by Morocco defender Issa Diop. Although he attempted to continue playing, he eventually went down in pain and was substituted, watching the remainder of the match with an ice pack on his right ankle. France coach Didier Deschamps addressed the situation post-match, stating, “It's a slight pain in the ankle. Nothing serious.”

Golden Boot Race Intensifies

With his latest goal, Mbappe has now scored eight times in the 2026 World Cup, tying with Argentina's Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. However, Mbappe currently leads due to having more assists, which serves as the tiebreaker. This goal also marked his 20th in just 20 World Cup appearances, leaving him just one behind Messi's all-time World Cup tally of 21 goals.

As France prepares for their next match, the focus will be on ensuring Mbappe's fitness while they aim for another World Cup title.