Ankle knock, reassuring scans: what to know about Mbappé's substitution against Morocco
Kylian Mbappé was substituted in the 75th minute of the 2026 World Cup quarter-final against Morocco due to ankle pain, though initial scans came back reassuring ahead of the July 14 semi-final.
France
Morocco- 90'Final score: France 2 - 0 Morocco
- 66'
- 60'
- 45'Half-time
- 28'
- 0'Kick-off
Kylian Mbappé was substituted in the 75th minute of the 2026 World Cup quarter-final, won 2-0 by France against Morocco, making way for Jean-Philippe Mateta for the final minutes of the match.
After the game, Mbappé downplayed the issue: "Yes, it's fine, I took a hit to the ankle, but it's okay. I think at that moment, JP was more able than me to play the last 15 minutes."
Coach Didier Deschamps explained: "It's a bit the ankle for Kylian, he felt some pain," adding that Manu Koné had also taken a knock to the knee accompanied by cramps.
According to RMC, the initial medical scans came back reassuring, though the medical staff remain extremely cautious given the history of this ankle, which suffered significant damage in 2020 following a tackle by Loïc Perrin.
France now await the identity of their semi-final opponent on July 14, between Spain and Belgium, while Mbappé's condition will be closely monitored ahead of that decisive fixture.
