Boston, USA – Kylian Mbappe, the captain of the French national team, reassured “Les Bleus” fans about the injury he suffered during the match against Morocco, stressing that it is not a cause for concern. He also spoke about his relationship with Achraf Hakimi after the end of the match that brought the two teams together in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
The French national team had secured their place in the semi-finals after defeating Morocco 2-0 in the match held on Thursday evening at Boston Stadium in the United States of America.
Mbappe left the field before the end of the match, after suffering an ankle injury, prompting coach Didier Deschamps to bring on Jean-Philippe Mateta in his place.
Mbappe explains the nature of his injury
The French star told beIN Sports: “I’m fine, I took a knock to the ankle, but it’s not a worrying injury. At that moment, Jean-Philippe Mateta was more ready to play the final minutes, so the coach preferred to bring him on, and he was also close to scoring a goal”.
“No room for relaxation”
Regarding the French national team’s journey in the tournament, Mbappe stressed that qualifying for the semi-finals does not mean anything if the team does not continue at the same level, adding: “We still have a long way to go, and the upcoming matches will be more difficult, so we have to regain our readiness and continue working”.
A message to Hakimi
The French captain also spoke about his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Achraf Hakimi, who left the tournament with Morocco, saying: “On the field there is no friendship, each of us was fighting for his country’s team”.
He concluded his statements by saying: “It will be different when I meet him again in the locker room. He is a very close friend of mine, but during the match there is no room for feelings or friendships”.
