Mbappe warns 'a long way to go' for France at World Cup after reaching semis
France captain Kylian Mbappe insisted on Thursday his team were not getting carried away about their chances of winning another World Cup despite reaching the semifinals thanks to a 2-0 win over Morocco on Thursday.
"I don't know if you can say we are on a mission. That is the easy term to use. But I think we are aware that the only way to let up is by winning," Mbappe told French broadcaster M6 after an eventful quarterfinal tie in which he had a first-half penalty saved but later opened the scoring.
Advertisement
"We are in the semifinals and we are very pleased. There is still a long way to go and we are aware that what awaits is going to be even harder, but we are ready," he added.
"We are ready to confront everything we come up against, so we will recuperate in peace and watch tomorrow's game to find out who we will face next."
Mbappe had a hand in Ousmane Dembele's goal which sealed the win for France at the Gillette Stadium near Boston, before later being substituted after taking a knock to the ankle, and being replaced by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
"I'm fine. I took a knock on the ankle but I'm fine. I think at that point JP was more prepared than me to play the final 15 minutes so I came off."
He will expect to be fit for the semifinals, with France now heading to Dallas to play the winner of Friday's quarterfinal clash between Spain and Belgium. That last-four tie will take place next Tuesday, 14 July.
France won their first World Cup in 1998 and their second in 2018, before losing the 2022 final on penalties to Argentina.
--------------------------------
Where to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Fans can watch every FIFA World Cup 2026™ match live on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access. All matches are also available to stream on supported packages, ensuring flexible viewing options wherever you are.
How to stream the FIFA World Cup 2026™
With DStv Stream, you can follow every match anytime, anywhere. Download the app and enjoy seamless live streaming on the go.
Advertisement