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Madrid World Cup Spotlight: Kylian Mbappe proves decisive in France’s win over Morocco
Real Madrid stars continue to rule the roost at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and last night was Kylian Mbappe and France’s turn.
Les Bleus faced Morocco in the quarter-finals of the competition, looking to book a date against either Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals.
Morocco managed to hold France to a 0-0 draw in the first half and even closed the door until the 60th minute, but could not hold on beyond that.
All Kylian Mbappe needed was for the door to open slightly, as he unleashed a curler that got past Bounou and gave France the first goal.
Soon after, Ousmane Dembele scored the second goal to give France a comfortable 2-0 lead that they managed to see out until the end.
Morocco lacked threat going forward, with Saibari missing through injury, and were unable to look dangerous in front of goal.
Defensively, the likes of Saliba, Upamecano and Maignan made sure that even the few chances Morocco created were thwarted at source.
All in all, it was yet another solid display from France as they continue to look like the team to beat in this tournament.
As for Mbappe, he continued to enhance his reputation as one of the best players ever at the World Cup and is well on his way to going down as the top goalscorer of the competition.
From a Madrid perspective, Aurelien Tchouameni and Ibrahima Konate were also in the squad for France, but the former was carrying an injury while the latter was not given any minutes.
Here is how Mbappe fared for France on the night.
Mbappe vs Morocco
Kylian Mbappe did not have a perfect night against Morocco, but he still gave France exactly what great players are supposed to give in knockout football: the decisive action.
For Mbappe, the match had a bit of everything. There was pressure, frustration, a missed penalty, and then the kind of response that separates elite forwards from everyone else.
Morocco had worked hard to make the game awkward. They defended with discipline, slowed the tempo, and relied on Yassine Bounou to keep them alive.
Mbappe had the chance to break the game open from the spot in the first half, but Bounou saved his penalty after a long VAR delay.
That could have become the defining image of his night. Instead, Mbappe made sure it was only part of the story.
His goal after the break changed everything. France had been pushing, but Morocco were still hanging on emotionally.
Once Mbappe found the breakthrough, the tie finally tilted fully towards Didier Deschamps’ side.
There was also the bigger individual picture. Mbappe’s goal took him level with Lionel Messi at the top of the tournament’s Golden Boot race.
That chase adds another layer to his World Cup. Mbappe is not just helping France survive. He is building a tournament that feels increasingly historic on a personal level.
The performance might not have been flawless, but knockout tournaments are decided by one moment, and Mbappe made sure he was there for his against Morocco.
Following their first loss of the season against Real Betis, Real Madrid face a tough test tonight as they take on Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu in their UEFA Champions League opener.
The Nerazzurri are first of a tricky set of opponents for the Merengues in the league phase of Europe’s premier competition and will pose a monumental challenge to Jose Mourinho and his men.
After all, the Serie A champions have won each of their three matches this season, with their latest game ending in a 3-2 comeback win over Napoli.
The fact that Real Madrid go into the game with some notable absences makes the task even harder, given as Mourinho will be unable to call upon Arda Guler, Bernardo Silva, and Eduardo Camavinga through suspensions.
Meanwhile, Raul Asencio, Eder Militao, and Rodrygo remain unavailable through injuries, whereas Ferland Mendy has not been registered in the Champions League this season.
There is some positive news, though, with Endrick, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Thiago Pitarch recovering from their physical issues, which could lead them to making their comeback tonight, but not as starters.
With some major decisions to be made with regard to his personnel, here is how Mourinho could set out his Real Madrid lineup tonight at the Bernabeu.
Defence
Thibaut Courtois remains the undisputed starter in goal for Real Madrid and will be key to them getting off the mark in the Champions League this season.
As for the defence, Ibrahima Konate is seemingly ahead of Antonio Rudiger in the centre-back position and start again tonight. He will partner with Dean Huijsen, who has been a standout performer under Mourinho.
On the right side of the defence, Denzel Dumfries should get the nod against his former club, with Trent Alexander-Arnold likely being held back as a possible option in midfield.
World Cup winner Marc Cucurella will continue on the left, ahead of Alvaro Carreras, despite coming off with a minor physical concern against Betis.
Midfield
The midfield department is where things get tricky for Mourinho and Real Madrid, given that Bernardo Silva, Eduardo Camavinga, and Arda Guler are unavailable and Aurelien Tchouameni is not ready to start matches.
Federico Valverde is an obvious starter in one of the two positions, and as for his partner, Mourinho has options like using Trent in midfield or turning to youngster Jorge Cestero.
But the likeliest route that the Portuguese tactician will take is to pull Jude Bellingham into a deeper position for tonight’s game, despite the England superstar’s effectiveness as a No. 10 in the first few matches.
With Bellingham moving into the double pivot and Guler unavailable, it should pave the way for Brahim Diaz to slot in as the central attacking midfielder for Los Blancos.
Attack
This could finally turn out to be the night that Real Madrid’s most expensive signing of the summer, Yan Diomande, makes his first start for the club.
The Ivorian international has so far only featured off the bench, with Mourinho preferring Guler on the right. But with the Turkish star suspended and Brahim operating centrally, the door is open for Diomande to start.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. will retain their respective places in the Real Madrid attacking line and hope to make a mark after failing to do so at the weekend.
