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Kylian Mbappé was eager to dismiss injury worries despite hobbling off the pitch during France's World Cup quarterfinal triumph over Morocco on Thursday.
The Real Madrid dynamo has been a target for opponents this summer. Didier Deschamps revealed that he assigned two players to serve as the captain's protectors during the final stages of a particularly heated clash with Paraguay in the round of 16. Morocco was far less physical, yet Mbappé still didn't come through completely unharmed.
Issa Diop, Mbappé's former youth international teammate, was left trailing by the forward's lightning footwork midway through the second half before bringing him down. The 27-year-old stayed on the field for another 15 minutes, setting up Ousmane Dembélé's goal that wrapped up the victory for France, before collapsing to the ground on the halfway line.
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No players were anywhere near Mbappé when he fell onto his back in the center circle, prompting a stoppage in play so he could be substituted by Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Morocco failed to threaten during those final 15 minutes, but the sight of Mbappé being helped off was far more alarming. Thankfully, those fears were swiftly put to rest.
What Injury Does Kylian Mbappe Have?
"I'm doing well; I took a hit to the ankle, but I'm okay," Mbappé told French broadcaster M6 shortly after the final whistle. "JP [Mateta] was in better condition than me to play those last 15 minutes."
It seems the injury occurred during that sharp turn away from Diop in the second half. While the impact was clearly uncomfortable—Deschamps confirmed as much post-match—there are far more serious injuries Mbappé could have sustained.
The resilient French attacker endured a somewhat injury-plagued season with Real Madrid, with his primary concern being a persistent knee issue. That particular problem—which Mbappé continued to play through during a productive winter spell—was reportedly made worse when the club's medical staff scanned the wrong knee during their initial assessment.
Mbappé might want to grab a marker to ensure the correct ankle receives proper attention this time.
Will Kylian Mbappe Be Fit for France's World Cup Semifinal?
Mbappé didn't even consider the prospect of missing France's semifinal against either Belgium or Spain. The speedy forward has five days to recover ahead of the match in Dallas, which should be more than enough time to shake off the knock.
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That is naturally unwelcome news for any side facing Mbappé in this kind of form. The joint-leading scorer this summer has an extraordinary record of 20 goals from 20 World Cup appearances. The serial record-setter consistently delivers on the grandest stages, having scored the decisive goal in eight separate tournament matches—more than any other player in the competition's 96-year history.
Dembélé is certainly counting on another standout performance from France's star man. "We're expecting even more goals from Kylian," the reigning Ballon d'Or winner declared.