Kylian Mbappé says he’s fine after ‘knock to the ankle’ - TSN
Mbappé’s Injury Scare and Reassurance
Kylian Mbappé, a key player for France, has confirmed that a recent ankle knock is not serious. The incident occurred during France‘s 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals, a match held in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Mbappé was substituted after appearing to be in pain, leading to concerns about his condition.
Following the match, Mbappé stated, “I took a knock to the ankle, but I’m fine.” He was seen celebrating with his team after the final whistle, showing no obvious ill effects. France coach Didier Deschamps also downplayed the injury, describing it as “a slight pain in the ankle” and “nothing serious.”
The incident that led to the injury scare happened in the 63rd minute when Morocco defender Issa Diop stepped on Mbappé‘s foot. Despite the pain, Mbappé remained in the game for several more minutes before dropping to the turf and signalling for a substitution. He was replaced by Jean-Philippe Mateta and watched the remainder of the game from the bench with an ice pack on his right ankle.
Match Performance and Tournament Outlook
Before his substitution, Mbappé played a significant role in France‘s progression to the semifinals. He scored his eighth goal of this year’s World Cup in the 60th minute, contributing to the team’s 2-0 lead. He also assisted on Ousmane Dembélé’s goal six minutes later.
Earlier in the match, Mbappé had a penalty kick opportunity in the first half after drawing a foul from Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui. However, Morocco‘s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved the attempt. Mbappé acknowledged that the delay during the review of the play might have affected his concentration for the penalty.
France‘s victory marks their third consecutive appearance in the World Cup semifinals. They will face either Spain or Belgium in the next round. Mbappé expressed his team’s determination, stating, “There’s only one way to relax, and that’s by winning. Until we’ve done that, we don’t let up.”
Morocco’s Tournament Journey Ends
For Morocco, this quarterfinal exit marks the second consecutive World Cup where they have been eliminated by France with a 2-0 scoreline. Four years prior, they lost to France by the same score in the semifinals. Despite the defeat, Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi expressed optimism for the future of his team.
Morocco‘s attacking opportunities were limited throughout the match, with only one shot on goal, which came in the 82nd minute when they were already trailing by two goals. Their best chance in the first half was a free kick from Achraf Hakimi that went past the right post. Ouahbi noted that France‘s strong ball possession and effective play on the sides created difficulties for his team.
The Atlas Lions had made a strong push in this year’s tournament, including recruiting Ayyoub Bouaddi, who had previously represented France in youth categories before switching allegiance. Ouahbi emphasized that the team represents not just Morocco but also many countries across Asia and Africa, and they will continue to work towards future titles.
Mbappé‘s goal in the 60th minute was his eighth in the 2026 tournament.
Source: tsn.ca
