Kylian Mbappe injury update after France given World Cup scare after Morocco win
Kylian Mbappe injury update after France given World Cup scare after Morocco win Kylian Mbappe was substituted in the closing stages of France's 2-0 win against Morocco, having scored the decisive goal which broke the deadlock on the hour mark Didier Deschamps has allayed fears that Kylian Mbappe is at risk of missing France's World Cup semi-final after he was substituted late in their comfortable 2-0 victory over Morocco. Mbappe, 27, recovered from missing a first-half penalty to open the scoring and set up Ousmane Dembele for Les Blues' second goal of the day in sunny Boston. But shortly after breaking the deadlock, the Real Madrid superstar took a blow to his right ankle after a strong challenge from Morocco's Issa Diop before suffering another blow in the 76th minute. Deschamps didn't want to take any chances and immediately subbed him off. Mbappe then sat on the bench with an ice pack on the ankle in question. But after the forward was seen jumping up and down during the full-time celebrations, it was no surprise to hear Deschamps' post-match comments. "For Kylian, there's no problem, he felt a little pain in his ankle, but it's normal," the France boss said. "He never doubts himself, even in physical and tough games. Get the latest World Cup 2026 news in your inbox with our Make Football Great Again newsletter "He missed the penalty, but he's a guy who gives us so much, delivers so much, with so much volume, and always blesses France with his opportunities." Mbappe's goal moved him level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot (eight) and was his 20th strike in as many World Cup games, while he also became the first France player to rack up 100 goal involvements, needing just 104 games to do so. His next target is firing the French to victory in their semi-final against either Spain or Belgium, who meet on Friday in Los Angeles. For Deschamps, who'll leave his role at the end of the tournament, he's led France to three successive semi-finals. Now the 57-year-old is eyeing his second World Cup win as a manager. Is Kylian Mbappe the best player in the world? Have your say in the comments section. "We reached three consecutive semi-finals, which seems logical and natural," Deschamps added. "But it was a difficult game because we missed some chances after the penalty." After becoming the first nation to book their spot in the semi-finals, France now know that they'll play two more games before they fly home from the United States - with or without the trophy. The third-placed play-off takes place on Saturday, July 18, one day before the final. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Shoppers can now upgrade to the Sky smart TV that's 'designed for football' from £6 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.