Deschamps Confirms Mbappe Ankle Issue After France Reaches 3rd Straight World Cup Semi-final
Updated
Updated · GOAL English · Jul 10
Deschamps Confirms Mbappe Ankle Issue After France Reaches 3rd Straight World Cup Semi-final
3 articles · Updated · GOAL English · Jul 10
Summary
France manager Didier Deschamps said Kylian Mbappe felt pain from a slight right-ankle issue, explaining why he was substituted in the 77th minute of a 2-0 quarter-final win over Morocco.
Boston saw Mbappe recover from a saved first-half penalty to score in the 60th minute before Ousmane Dembele added France's second, sending Les Bleus into the last four.
Deschamps also said Manu Kone took a blow to the knee and had cramps, while substitute Warren Zaire-Emery made a strong impact as France leaned on squad depth.
Tuesday's semi-final in Dallas will pit France against Spain or Belgium, with Mbappe later seen celebrating freely after a sixth straight tournament win.
Three consecutive World Cup semi-finals underline France's status as favorites, with 16 goals making them the tournament's highest-scoring team so far.