FIFA World Cup 2026: "Kylian is fine", French coach Deschamps eases injury concerns ahead of semi-final clash against Spain
Texas, July 14
France captain Kylian Mbappe is expected to be fit for Les Bleus' FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal against Spain despite picking up a minor ankle injury during the quarterfinal victory over Morocco, according to Reuters.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the semi-final, France head coach Didier Deschamps reassured that the star forward was available for selection.
"Kylian is fine," Deschamps said, as quoted by Reuters.
Mbappe did not complete the final training session after suffering the injury during France's 2-0 win over Morocco in the quarterfinals. The forward, who was substituted late in that match, had his workload managed as a precaution.
Asked about Mbappe's participation in training, Deschamps said, "Yes, he trained. He is allowed to do 10 minutes in one drill instead of 15," as quoted by Reuters.
The France captain was partially rested during the session, but the injury is not expected to rule him out of the highly anticipated semifinal against Spain.
France will take on an in-form Spain side that advanced to the last four after defeating Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Spain enters the contest on a 36-match unbeaten run and will be aiming to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
The winners of the semifinal will book their place in the title clash scheduled for July 19.
France have enjoyed the most convincing and controlled knockout-stage campaign among the four remaining teams.
After finishing top of Group I, they opened the knockout rounds with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32.
They then edged past Paraguay 1-0 in a closely contested Round of 16 before producing another disciplined display to defeat Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals and secure their place in the last four.
France have scored six goals in the knockout stages without conceding a single one, underlining their defensive discipline and control under pressure.
Even in tightly contested encounters, their structure has remained solid, while France captain Kylian Mbappe has continued to provide the cutting edge in attack when it matters most.
— ANI
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