France vs Morocco: Mbappe and Dembele Send France Into the Semifinals

Updated 9 July 2026. Image generated using Google Gemini for illustrative purposes.

France vs Morocco FIFA World Cup 2026 finished 2-0, Kylian Mbappe breaking the deadlock in the 60th minute and Ousmane Dembele adding a second five minutes later to send France into the semifinals. Mbappe had missed a first-half penalty, saved by Yassine Bono after a VAR review awarded the spot kick for a foul by Noussair Mazraoui, but he made up for it with the opener before going off late with a minor ankle knock. Morocco’s run as the last African side in the tournament is over.

France vs Morocco FIFA World Cup 2026: How France Won It

Morocco’s well-drilled back line held for an hour, and Yassine Bono even guessed correctly to save Kylian Mbappe’s 27th-minute penalty after a VAR review flagged a foul by Noussair Mazraoui. It was not enough. Mbappe made amends himself in the 60th minute, curling a finish past Bono from the edge of the box, and Ousmane Dembele doubled the lead five minutes later with a low strike that the Morocco goalkeeper could not keep out. France never looked troubled after that, extending an unbeaten run that now stretches through all five of their matches at this World Cup without needing extra time.

Mbappe went off in the 77th minute holding his right ankle after a non-contact knock, replaced by Randal Kolo Muani’s understudy Bradley Barcola, and was seen icing the joint on the bench. Manager Didier Deschamps said afterwards his forward “was a little sore” but did not sound concerned about his availability for the semifinal, and Mbappe himself later said he felt fine.

What It Means for the Semifinals

France reach a third straight World Cup semifinal and avenge nothing less than a repeat of the 2022 final four meeting between these two sides, which France also won 2-0. They now await the winner of Spain vs Belgium, with Mbappe’s tournament tally moving to eight goals and the Golden Boot race firmly in his favour. Morocco’s brilliant run, built on knockout wins over the Netherlands and Canada, ends at the quarterfinal stage, still the best World Cup finish outside their own historic run to the last four in 2022. ESPN’s match report has more on how Deschamps’ side controlled the game after the missed penalty.

What Is Next

France now wait for Friday’s Spain vs Belgium quarterfinal to learn their semifinal opponent, with the last four of the FIFA World Cup 2026 taking shape over the coming days. Track every fixture on our Quarterfinals hub and follow goals live on live scores. Revisit how these sides got here in our Round of 16 results recap, read the build-up in our France vs Morocco preview, and see the full picture in our complete World Cup 2026 guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the score in France vs Morocco at the FIFA World Cup 2026?

France won 2-0, with Kylian Mbappe scoring in the 60th minute and Ousmane Dembele adding a second in the 65th, sending France into the semifinals.

Did Kylian Mbappe miss a penalty against Morocco?

Yes. Mbappe had a first-half penalty saved by Yassine Bono in the 27th minute, awarded after a VAR review for a foul by Noussair Mazraoui, before scoring the opener himself in the second half.

Is Kylian Mbappe injured after the Morocco match?

He went off in the 77th minute with a minor right ankle knock and was replaced by Bradley Barcola. Manager Didier Deschamps said he was “a little sore” but not seriously concerned for the semifinal.

Sources: FIFA match centre and ESPN match report.