France advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Friday, July 10, 2026 (Philippine time), keeping alive its bid to become only the second European nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals.
Match Summary
According to a report by China's Xinhua news agency, second-half goals by Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele sealed the win and set up a semifinal clash against the winner of the Spain-Belgium quarterfinal. France reached the last eight with a 1-0 win over Paraguay, while Morocco booked its quarterfinals berth with a 3-0 victory over co-host Canada. The teams had previously met in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup, where France also prevailed 2-0.
First Half Dominance
France dominated the opening half, unleashing 13 attempts while Morocco managed only one. Mbappe and Dayot Upamecano both forced saves from goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in the opening minutes. Mbappe was denied from the penalty spot in the 25th minute after being fouled in the area by Noussair Mazraoui. Bounou also turned away efforts from Desire Doue and saw Lucas Digne strike the crossbar before halftime.
Second Half Breakthrough
France finally broke through shortly after the hour mark when Doue fed Mbappe, who curled a right-footed shot beyond Bounou. The goal was Mbappe's eighth of the tournament, making him the first player to score at least eight goals in two separate World Cups, Xinhua reported. Dembele doubled the lead minutes later, collecting the ball outside the box before unleashing a curling shot into the net.
Morocco's Late Threat
Morocco mounted little threat until late in the match, when Mike Maignan saved Azzedine Ounahi's long-range effort and Neil El Aynaoui headed the ensuing corner into the side netting. Mbappe, who left the match in the 77th minute with a minor ankle injury, later downplayed concerns. "I have a minor ankle injury, but I'm completely fine. Mateta was in a better position to play the remaining minutes of the match and was fitter at that moment. That's all that happened," he said.
Coach's Reaction
France coach Didier Deschamps said his team would now focus on recovering for the semifinal. "We will recover well and see who our opponent will be," Deschamps said. "I imagine there's a lot of excitement and passion in France. Here, we are in our own bubble, and I am even more so. That's what we're here for, and the players have a duty to do everything they can to go as far as possible. We've cleared a major hurdle."
