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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.
Real Madrid will lock horns with Elche CF away at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero later tonight in Matchday 6 of the 2026/27 La Liga season.
The Merengues are currently second in the league standings with four wins and one defeat from five games, three points behind Barcelona, who are yet to drop a single point this term, and have looked unstoppable.
Given the situation, Real Madrid know there is no room for slip-up, even though it is still very early in the season.
Jose Mourinho’s men have not been particularly convincing away from home this term, having just about managed to beat RCD Espanyol in their opening match before falling to their only defeat of the campaign against Real Betis.
The hope will be to address that issue and put in a strong performance while collecting all three points heading into the derby against Atletico Madrid later in the week.
Going into the match, Los Blancos have not received any new fitness boosts, with Eder Militao, Rodrygo Goes, and Ferland Mendy still unavailable.
However, there will likely be some rotations with an eye on the derby, and here’s how Mourinho could set his team up against Elche tonight.
Defence
Trent Alexander-Arnold has had to share minutes with summer signing Denzel Dumfries so far this season, but will be hoping to make the right-back spot his own with a convincing performance tonight against Elche.
Meanwhile, on the left, Alvaro Carreras is expected to retain his place after a brilliant display at the weekend against Rayo Vallecano, which would also allow Marc Cucurella to be protected before the derby.
At centre-back, Dean Huijsen is expected to return to the starting lineup, at the expense of Antonio Rudiger, and partner with Ibrahima Konate.
Thibaut Courtois is the undisputed starter in goal for Real Madrid and will continue his search for a second clean sheet this season.
Midfield
While Aurelien Tchouameni has returned from his injury layoff, he is unlikely to be rushed back by Mourinho. As such, the Frenchman is likely to feature off the bench once again tonight at Elche.
Instead, the double pivot pairing of Federico Valverde and Bernardo Silva is expected to take the field once again, with Eduardo Camavinga also having to settle for a spot among the substitutes.
Jude Bellingham has started all of Real Madrid’s matches so far this season and given his form and importance to the team, Mourinho will not rotate him tonight against Elche.
Attack
Yan Diomande made his first start at Real Madrid last weekend against Rayo Vallecano but failed to make the best impression.
Meanwhile, Arda Guler was once again brilliant for Los Blancos after coming on as a substitute, making a strong case for him to be reinstated to the starting XI on the right wing.
As for the left side of the attack, Vinicius Jr. will retain his place, hoping to find his best form after a rather slow start to the campaign.
Kylian Mbappe, who has now scored six goals in La Liga this season, will spearhead the attack, hoping to end his run of seven months without scoring away from home in the league.
