Mbappé exits with ankle injury against Morocco but remains optimistic

Kylian Mbappé was forced to leave the field in the 75th minute of the World Cup quarter-final won by France against Morocco (2-0) on Thursday at Boston Stadium, after taking a hard blow to his right ankle. Replaced by Jean-Philippe Mateta, the Real Madrid striker returned to the bench grimacing, with an ice pack fixed to the joint, immediately raising doubts about his availability for the semi-final.

The evening had nonetheless been eventful for the France captain. In the first half, Mbappé saw his penalty saved by Yassine Bounou, a rare failure for the striker in this exercise. He made amends around the hour mark by unlocking the situation with a clinical strike, before Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead moments later. This eighth goal in the tournament also allowed him to surpass the 20-goal mark in World Cup knockout stages, a historic milestone.

The first reports from the dressing room proved reassuring. Mbappé himself downplayed the severity of the impact. “I took a blow to the ankle, but I’m fine. At that moment, Jean-Philippe Mateta was more fit than me to play the last 15 minutes,” he said after the match.

Didier Deschamps confirmed this cautious but optimistic reading of the situation. “Kylian had a bit of ankle trouble, he was feeling some pain,” the manager said. The ankle will be closely monitored over the next 48 hours, but the French staff appears confident: barring complications, Mbappé should be able to play in the semi-final, scheduled for five days’ time.