France booked their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after defeating Morocco 2-0 in a disciplined yet clinical quarter-final performance in Boston.
Les Bleus reached the last four for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup, extending their remarkable consistency on football’s biggest stage while ending Morocco’s campaign.
It also marked the second successive World Cup in which France have eliminated the Atlas Lions, having beaten them in the semi-finals of the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
After a tightly contested first half, Didier Deschamps’ side found the breakthrough in the second period through captain Kylian Mbappé before Ousmane Dembélé sealed victory six minutes later to send the 2018 World Cup champions one step closer to another World Cup final.
Although Morocco produced a resilient defensive display for much of the contest, they struggled to trouble the French backline as France’s superior quality in attack eventually proved telling.
The exit of the North Africans means that all ten representatives from the Confederation of African Football have now been kicked out of the tournament before the semi finals.
Mbappé Leads France’s Charge
The match could have taken a different turn much earlier when France were awarded a penalty. Kylian Mbappé stepped up but Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou guessed correctly, diving to his left to deny the Real Madrid forward and keep the scores level.
The save briefly lifted Moroccan hopes, but France continued to dominate possession and create chances, relentlessly pushing for the opening goal.
Their persistence paid off on the hour mark when Mbappé received possession just outside the penalty area, shifted the ball onto his right foot and curled a magnificent effort beyond the outstretched Bounou to hand France a deserved lead.
Just six minutes later, Mbappé turned provider. The French captain back heeled a perfectly weighted pass for Dembélé, who drove slightly forward before calmly slotting home to double France’s advantage and effectively end Morocco’s hopes of mounting a comeback.
The Atlas Lions struggled to create meaningful opportunities throughout the contest, managing only one shot on target. France, in contrast, dominated proceedings with 21 attempts, eight of which tested Bounou, underlining the gulf in attacking threat between the two sides.
Golden Boot Race Intensifies
Mbappé’s spectacular strike was his eighth goal of the tournament, drawing him level with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the race for the Adidas Golden Boot. The French skipper currently holds the advantage thanks to his three assists, giving him 11 direct goal contributions at the tournament.
The goal also moved Mbappé one ahead of Norway’s Erling Braut Haaland and two clear of England captain Harry Kane in the scoring charts, strengthening his chances of finishing as the competition’s leading marksman.
Beyond the Golden Boot race, the 27-year-old continues to rewrite FIFA World Cup history. His latest goal took his overall World Cup tally to 20 goals in just 20 appearances across three tournaments, an extraordinary record that sees him averaging one goal per game on football’s biggest stage.
He now sits only one goal behind Messi’s tally of 21 World Cup goals, placing himself within touching distance of one of the tournament’s most celebrated scoring milestones.
Dembélé also continued his outstanding tournament with his fifth goal of the competition. Remarkably, the Paris Saint-Germain winger had never scored in a FIFA World Cup before this edition but has emerged as one of France’s most influential attacking players, delivering crucial goals during their march to the semi-finals.
France’s defensive record has been equally impressive. They have now won all six of their matches at the tournament and remain yet to concede a goal in the knockout rounds, while scoring six times within the same period. Their balance between defensive solidity and attacking efficiency has reinforced their status as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
With another commanding display behind them, Les Bleus now shift their attention to the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the quarter-final clash between Spain and Belgium.
As France continue their pursuit of a third FIFA World Cup title, Mbappé’s scintillating form and the team’s growing momentum suggest they remain the side every remaining contender must overcome.
Meanwhile, Morocco bow out with pride after another memorable campaign that once again showcased the continued rise of African football on the global stage.
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