Mbappé curls France past Morocco into World Cup semis
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- Mbappé scored a curling 60th-minute strike past Bounou and assisted Dembélé six minutes later, lifting France to a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Morocco and a semifinal Tuesday in Dallas against the winner of Belgium vs. Spain
- Mbappé reached eight goals at this World Cup, matching his 2022 tally and becoming the first player in history to score 8+ goals in two separate World Cups, with games still to play at age 27
- Mbappé became the first French player to record 100 goal contributions for the national team, reaching 101 with his goal and assist against Morocco
- France's front four — Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise, with Doué and Barcola — have 23 goal involvements at this tournament, three more than Brazil's 2002 championship trio of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho
- France's defense has conceded just 2.33 xG across four matches (excluding the Norway group game), allowing only 23 shots and four on target, with the Rabiot-Koné midfield axis breaking up counters before they reach the final third
- Morocco built on their 2022 semifinal with a quarterfinal run and have most of their squad under 30, setting up a genuine 2030 title push as co-hosts with Spain and Portugal, per Ogden
- Bounou saved Mbappé's first-half penalty — his fourth career World Cup penalty save — and tipped a Digne shot onto the crossbar, but couldn't stop either French goal as Morocco's tournament ended
Why it matters: France have now beaten Morocco in consecutive World Cups and emerge as clear favorites, with Mbappé matching his 2022 goal haul at 27 and the supporting cast producing record-breaking numbers. Meanwhile, Morocco's young core — including 18-year-old Bouaddi — gives them a credible path to becoming the first African World Cup winners on home soil in 2030.
