France reached the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup with a 2-0 win over Morocco, in a quarterfinal defined by Kylian Mbappé's response to early misfortune. The French captain missed a first-half penalty but recovered to score the opening goal and later set up Ousmane Dembélé for the second, guiding the Bleus past a determined Atlas Lions side.

Morocco showed resilience throughout the match, refusing to be overwhelmed despite trailing for most of the contest. Neil El Aynaoui came close on more than one occasion with headed attempts, and the North African side created danger consistently from set pieces, a tactic that had served them well throughout the tournament.

France dominated large stretches of possession but struggled to break down a well-organized Moroccan defense until Mbappé's decisive intervention. His goal eased the pressure built up after the missed spot-kick, and moments later he turned provider, teeing up Dembélé to double the lead and put the result beyond reasonable doubt.

The win was not without cost for France, however. Mbappé was forced off the pitch late in the match with an injury, adding a layer of uncertainty for coach Didier Deschamps' side ahead of the next round. His fitness will be closely watched in the coming days as France prepares for the semifinal stage.

With the result, France extended its unbeaten run in the tournament and secured a place among the final four, keeping alive its ambitions of lifting the trophy. The Bleus now await the winner of the Spain-Belgium quarterfinal, a matchup expected to produce another high-stakes encounter in the race for the title.

Morocco exits the World Cup with credit, having mounted a campaign that once again put African football in the global spotlight, pushing one of the tournament's title contenders to the limit in a hard-fought quarterfinal.