France’s semi‑final charge rattled by Mbappé ankle scare

France have secured a place in the World Cup semi‑finals, but the 2‑0 victory over Morocco was marred by a late injury scare as Kylian Mbappé felt pain in his right ankle and left the pitch with an ice pack. The incident has left fans and the coaching staff uneasy about his fitness for the next round. Issa Diop delivered a heavy challenge on Mbappé that earned him a yellow card, prompting the French captain to limp off in the 78th minute. He was replaced by Jean‑Philippe Mateta, who was deemed more suited to finish the match. After the match Mbappé told and M6, “I’m fine, I took a knock to the ankle but everything is okay. At that moment Mateta was more suited than me to play the last 15 minutes.” The forward tried to down‑play the incident despite the visible discomfort. Deschamps confirmed the concern, saying, “For Kylian, it was a bit of an ankle issue, he was feeling pain. It’s normal, the matches keep coming.” His remarks underscored the coach’s caution ahead of the semi‑final.

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Before going off, Mbappé missed a penalty, then scored and assisted the second goal, becoming the first player to record at least 10 direct goal involvements in two World Cups, matching his 8‑goal, 2‑assist haul from Qatar 2022. The legendary numbers highlight his importance to France’s attack. Images of the number 10 on the bench with an ice pack sparked anxiety among supporters, and Deschamps’ decision to withdraw the striker was widely discussed as a precaution.

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Want to stay up to date on everything happening in the USA, Mexico and Canada? Follow the World Cup on OneFootball and click the star next to the competition to never miss a story. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence, noting the presence of the term Mbapp in the original text and referencing Philippe as part of Jean‑Philippe Mateta’s name.