FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Another milestone for Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé has reached a remarkable milestone—his 20th goal in just 20 World Cup matches. This latest goal, his eighth in the tournament, puts him in a tie with Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot, after Messi’s win over France in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Mbappé has yet to face elimination from a World Cup final, and this will mark his third attempt at it.

France, however, isn’t banking on history repeating itself. They triumphed over Morocco with a score of 2-0 on Thursday, advancing to the semi-finals while allowing only one shot on goal, despite a tough challenge from Morocco’s defense.

“I know that there’s one way to truly relax,” Mbappé shared with French broadcaster M6, “And that’s by winning.”

While celebrating reaching the semi-finals, he acknowledged that a tougher path lies ahead but expressed confidence in his team’s readiness. “We know what’s coming will be more challenging than what we’ve seen so far, but we’re prepared for anything,” he said.

There’s something intriguing about Mbappé—from the youthful player in 2018 to the mature athlete he’s become in 2022. At 27, he’s in peak form and has demonstrated his talent time and again.

During the match, there was a brief moment of worry when France coach Didier Deschamps mentioned an ankle issue for Mbappé after an incident in the 78th minute. However, Mbappé quickly reassured fans. “It’s fine. I just bruised my ankle, but I’m okay,” he stated.

One can almost sense the collective sigh from fans in Spain and Belgium.

Before his goal in the 60th minute, it seemed like things might not unfold well for him. He missed a penalty in the first half, which was brilliantly saved by Yassin Bounou. The situation was slightly frustrating, especially as he stood waiting for a foul to be confirmed, which visibly affected his rhythm.

France struggled to penetrate Morocco’s low defensive blocks, but Mbappé’s talent shone through. He has this incredible ability to create something spectacular from seemingly nothing—one of the numerous reasons why no other teams have matched France’s caliber in this World Cup.

Deschamps remarked on the character of his players, saying, “There are no egos in this team. Kylian is our captain. He’s exceptional both on and off the field.”

He also expressed surprise at the absence of striker Ismael Saibari due to injury, noting, “I was curious about why [Mohamed Ouahbi] was playing without a real forward utilizing the wide areas. He made his choice. When we had possession, they didn’t get any opportunities to threaten us.”