France Advances to World Cup 2026 Semifinals, Mbappe Urges Continued Focus

France has advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first team to secure a place in the final four after a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Friday. Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 60th minute, with Ousmane Dembele doubling the lead six minutes later.

Despite the win, Mbappe urged his teammates to remain focused, emphasizing that the path to the world title is still long and challenging. "Our journey is still long. We know that the upcoming opponents will be tougher than those we have already faced. We are ready for the next challenge," Mbappe stated after the match, as quoted by Antara.

“

Our journey is still long. We know that the upcoming opponents will be tougher than those we have already faced. We are ready for the next challenge.

This semifinal appearance marks France's third consecutive World Cup semifinal since 2018, when they ultimately won the championship. The team, managed by Didier Deschamps, will now face the winner of the Spain versus Belgium match for a spot in the final. Mbappe stressed the importance of maintaining peak performance throughout the knockout stages.

“

We have to admit that we faced a very good opponent. We struggled a lot in the first half, and Bounou's penalty save kept us in the game. In the second half, we defended better and were calmer on the ball. In the end, it was decided by Mbappe's extraordinary individual action.

Morocco's coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, conceded that the individual quality of the French players made the difference. He noted that his team defended well but acknowledged that Mbappe's performance was pivotal. "We have to admit that we faced a very good opponent. We struggled a lot in the first half, and Bounou's penalty save kept us in the game. In the second half, we defended better and were calmer on the ball. In the end, it was decided by Mbappe's extraordinary individual action," Ouahbi said, according to FIFA.

Ouahbi expressed disappointment at Morocco's exit but praised his players for their best effort despite facing challenges such as injuries, limited squad depth, and fatigue. He remains optimistic about the future of Moroccan football, provided the team development continues. Ouahbi added that Morocco's World Cup journey carried the hopes of their nation and supporters across Asia and Africa, stating, "Many people see themselves in this team, and we will continue to work to win titles in the future."

“

Many people see themselves in this team, and we will continue to work to win titles in the future.