France's star striker Kylian Mbappé has eased concerns about a potential injury after he was substituted in the second half of the World Cup quarterfinal match against Morocco. Mbappé, who asked to be taken off in the 77th minute, confirmed he is "all good" despite an ankle knock.
"I got a knock on the ankle, but it’s all good. [Jean-Philippe Mateta] was more able than me to play the last 15 minutes," Mbappé told reporters following France's 2-0 victory. He received treatment on the field before walking off and applying ice to his ankle on the bench.
France coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged that Mbappé "had a slight ankle issue; he was feeling some pain." However, sources indicated "there are no concerns" regarding the condition of his ankle. Spectators observed Mbappé appearing lively while celebrating on the pitch and in the locker room post-game.
Mbbapé had a significant impact on the match, scoring France's opening goal in the 60th minute after missing a penalty earlier in the first half. Ousmane Dembélé scored the second goal, securing the 2-0 win for France.
"I have great players. It’s good. It was complicated today. Missing the penalty and the chances we didn’t convert makes things difficult," Deschamps commented on the game. "Kylian reacted well and scored. We are exactly where we wanted to be. We are going to recover well and watch our next opponent."
Mbappé is currently leading the Golden Boot race with eight goals and three assists in the tournament. France is now preparing for their semifinal match, aiming to reach their third consecutive World Cup final.
"We are very happy. We are aware that there is only one way to relax, it’s to win. But we still have a long way to go. We know that what is coming next will be even harder but we are ready to face anything," Mbappé said about the team's outlook. "We will recover nicely and watch the game tomorrow to see who we will face."