Kylian Mbappe sustained a minor ankle injury during France's 2026 World Cup quarter-final victory over Morocco, leading to his substitution in the 77th minute of the match on July 8, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Despite the injury, Mbappe participated partially in France's final training session on July 13. He completed individual drills instead of the full team session, limiting his workload as a precaution [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed on July 14 that Mbappe is "100% fit" and declared the forward available for the semi-final against Spain, scheduled on July 15. Deschamps emphasized Mbappe's good condition, noting he trained in shorter bursts: "Kylian is fine. He has reached 100% fitness. He trained and was allowed to do 10 minutes in one drill instead of 15" [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]. He added, "He is in very good condition! He has no problem at all" [5].
Media attention arose when Mbappe showed a painful expression after a shooting drill during individual training, but no official doubts remain about his participation [3, 4, 6]. Spain midfielder Mikel Merino praised Mbappe, calling him "extremely fast" with "amazing finishing" and praised his mindset as a player "who always wants to be the deciding player" [4].
Mbappe is tied with Lionel Messi as the tournament's top scorer, both having netted eight goals entering the semi-finals [3, 4, 5, 6]. The France squad is valued at $1.78 billion, surpassing Spain's $1.43 billion, fueling anticipation for the semi-final, which media have dubbed a "final before the final" [3, 5, 6].
The semi-final between France and Spain is scheduled for July 15, 2026, at 3 a.m. Taiwan time, equivalent to the evening of July 14 in Dallas, Texas [3, 5, 6]. France will closely monitor Mbappe's condition in the coming hours but is preparing to field him against Spain as expected.
