Captain Kylian Mbappe is expected to be fit for France’s FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal against Spain despite picking up a minor ankle injury during the quarterfinal victory over Morocco.
Ahead of the highly anticipated semi-final, France manager Didier Deschamps eased the anxiety of the French supporters by assuring that the world-class attacker remains fully available for the starting lineup.
“Kylian is fine,” Deschamps said.
The prolific forward had his training load carefully managed as a safety measure after taking a blow during France’s 2-0 quarterfinal triumph over Morocco, a game from which he was substituted late on.
When questioned about how the captain handled the training pitch in the buildup to the semifinal, Deschamps said, “Yes, he trained. He is allowed to do 10 minutes in one drill instead of 15.”
Even though Mbappe was partially shielded from the full intensity of the practice session, the minor knock is not expected to keep him off the pitch for the showdown with Spain.
France has been flawless at the World Cup
The French team is gearing up to face a defensively solid Spain side that secured its semifinal ticket with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Belgium. The Spanish squad enters this fixture carrying an incredible 36-match unbeaten run, determined to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
The winner of this blockbuster match will book their ticket to the ultimate title game scheduled for July 19.
Throughout the tournament, manager Didier Deschamps’ side has displayed the most balanced and stable knockout performance of the final four teams.
After finishing as the top team in Group I, they launched their bracket run with a dominant 3-0 win over Sweden in the Round of 32. They subsequently outlasted Paraguay 1-0 in a tense Round of 16 battle before shutting out Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
France has scored six goals during these knockout rounds without conceding a single goal, highlighting their brilliant defensive shape and mental strength. Even when pushed by their opponents, France’s structure has remained unbreakable, with Mbappe continuing to act as the primary offensive weapon.
(With inputs from ANI)
