France is back in the World Cup semifinals for the third straight time. And Kylian Mbappe just made it personal again.
The superstar forward scored the opening goal in Thursday’s quarterfinal against Morocco, a strike that put him in a category nobody else has touched. Mbappe is now the first player in World Cup history to record eight or more goals in two separate tournaments. Not Pele. Not Ronaldo. Not even Lionel Messi.
The goal came in the 56th minute after a fairly frustrating first half. Morocco had packed the box, kept Mbappe off the scoresheet on a penalty attempt, and went into the break with a clean sheet. But France’s pressure eventually cracked them open. Mbappe collected a pass near the edge of the area, set his feet, and ripped a shot that beat the goalkeeper clean. The finish was clinical, the kind of moment that reminds everyone why he’s the face of this generation.
Six minutes later, Ousmane Dembele doubled the lead with a well-placed finish of his own, and the game was effectively over. France cruised from there to a 2-0 win.
Dembele’s goal sealed it, but Mbappe’s history looms larger
The French bench emptied after Dembele’s strike. They knew what that goal meant. Morocco had been elite defensively all tournament and had held France scoreless for over an hour. But once the first goal went in, the second came fast. That’s what this France team does. They’re stacked top to bottom. You could argue their second-choice XI beats most national teams in the world.
Morocco deserves credit, though. They’ve been a legitimate contender over the last four years, and they gave France real problems in that first half. The squad is organized, physical, and dangerous on the counter. They just ran into a team with too many weapons.
Mbappe’s continued dominance is the story here. He’s now got nine World Cup goals across two tournaments. He’s 27 years old. If he stays healthy, he could chase Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 goals. That’s not a prediction, just a statement of fact about where he’s already sitting.
France moves on to the semifinal round, waiting for their opponent. For everyone else, the math is simple: beat this team or go home.
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