‘Only One Way To Relax’: Mbappé Shrugs Off Ankle Injury
France captain Kylian Mbappé has revealed the winning mentality driving Les Bleus’ FIFA World Cup campaign while reassuring supporters that the ankle injury he sustained against Morocco is not serious.
France booked their place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Morocco in Thursday night’s quarter-final, ending the Atlas Lions’ impressive run and eliminating them from the knockout stage for the second successive World Cup after also beating them in the semi-finals in 2022.
Didier Deschamps’ side found Morocco difficult to break down for much of the contest, with the Atlas Lions frustrating the French attack during the opening hour.
Mbappé’s evening became even more challenging in the first half when his penalty was superbly saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
The Real Madrid forward, however, refused to let the setback affect him. He broke the deadlock in the 60th minute before setting up Ousmane Dembélé for France’s second goal, sealing Les Bleus’ place in yet another World Cup semi-final.
Mbappé was substituted late in the match after picking up an ankle knock, with Jean-Philippe Mateta replacing the France captain.
Despite concerns over his fitness, Mbappé quickly reassured supporters after the final whistle.
“I took a knock to the ankle, but I’m fine. At that point, JP (Jean-Philippe Mateta) was in better shape than I was to play the final minutes,” Mbappé said, as quoted by FIFA.
The French skipper also explained the mentality that continues to drive his side through the tournament.
“The secret to this France team? There’s only one way to relax, and that’s by winning. Until we’ve done that, we don’t let up. We’re in the semi-finals, and we’re very happy, but there’s still a long way to go,” he said.
“We realise that what lies ahead is even tougher than what we’ve been through, but we’re ready to face anything.”
Dembélé, who wrapped up the victory with France’s second goal, said the team remained fully focused throughout the encounter and revealed that Mbappé played a crucial role in his strike.
“We’re very happy. We were really focused on this match,” he said.
“This is my third World Cup semi-final with the French team. It’s pure joy, pure pleasure. We’re going to stay focused on what’s coming next.
“Two or three minutes before my goal, Kylian (Mbappé) told me to stay central. He made a great run that opened up the path for me. I really wanted to get the shot on target and see it go in. I’m happy.”
France will return to action next Tuesday in the World Cup semi-finals, where they will face the winner of Saturday’s quarter-final between Spain and Belgium as Mbappé and his teammates continue their pursuit of another world title.
