Image: from Football on TNT Sports X @footballontnt
By Open Chronicle
France became the first nation to secure a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Morocco 2,0 in the opening quarter-final on Thursday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, United States.
The reigning runners-up delivered a composed performance to overcome Africa’s last remaining representative, with Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé providing the decisive goals in the second half.
Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 60th minute, scoring his eighth goal of the tournament and his 20th World Cup goal in just 20 appearances, further cementing his status as one of the competition’s greatest modern scorers. Just six minutes later, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé doubled France’s advantage after being set up by Mbappé, effectively ending Morocco’s hopes of another historic upset.
The result mirrored the 2,0 victory France recorded over Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, once again ending the Atlas Lions’ remarkable tournament run.
Mbappé’s evening was filled with drama. The Real Madrid forward missed a penalty earlier in the match before redeeming himself with the opening goal and an assist. He also briefly worried French supporters when he sat on the pitch holding his ankle before being substituted in the 77th minute by Jean Philippe Mateta.
After receiving the Player of the Match award, Mbappé reassured fans that the injury was only the result of a knock.
“I took a knock to my ankle, but I’m fine. At that moment, Mateta was in better condition than I was to play the final 15 minutes, so I came off and he came on. He also came close to scoring.”
The France captain emphasized that the team remains focused despite reaching the last four.
“There is no room for complacency. We still have a long way to go, and what awaits us will be even more difficult. We’ll recover well and prepare for the next match.”
France will now play in the World Cup semi-finals for the eighth time in their history, following appearances in 1958, 1982, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2018, 2022 and now 2026.
Didier Deschamps’ side will face the winner of Friday’s quarter-final between Spain and Belgium, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
With Mbappé confirming that his ankle issue is not serious, France heads into the semi-finals with confidence as it continues its pursuit of a third FIFA World Cup title.