Spain or Belgium? Kylian Mbappe gets candid on potential World Cup semifinal foes after France brush aside Morocco

Kylian Mbappe once again came on top as France booked their place in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup for the third consecutive time with 2-0 victory over Morocco in a gripping quarterfinal at Boston Stadium on Friday. Despite missing a penalty early in the game, Mbappe scored one and also assisted Ousmane Dembele as France strolled past the African nation.

The goal helped Mbappe reach a remarkable milestone in his World Cup career. The France captain took his tally to 20 FIFA World Cup goals across the 2018, 2022 and 2026 editions, moving within one goal of Lionel Messi's all-time tournament record of 21.

It was Mbappe's eighth goal of the ongoing edition, on level with Messi in the Golden Boot race. But the Frenchman sits atop the standings owing his three assists as compared to Messi's one. In the semifinals, France will take on either Belgium or Spain, who play on Saturday (12:30 AM IST).

Following the win, Mbappe was asked whom would he prefer in the semis and the Real Madrid star was candid in his answer. “It doesn't matter to me. If it's Belgium, then it's Belgium. If it's Spain, then it's Spain. We'll see what happens. It's a semifinal, and it's always going to be a difficult match,” Mbappe told reporters at the mixed zone.

Kylian Mbappe on leadership

The 27-year-old also spoke about his attachments with his French teammates and admitted that he embraced the leadership with responsibility, especially off the field. "Of course I feel good with France.

“This is a team and a group that I care deeply about. Many of the players are friends I've known for many years. Then there are the younger players, who see me as one of the older guys now,” added the French captain.

“I have to set an example for the team, especially from an emotional standpoint, because what happens on the field is about football. But emotionally, I have more experience because I've played more World Cup matches than anyone else on this team. I know what it's like to play in a World Cup, and it's my job to pass that experience on to my teammates.”

Mbappe downplays fitness concerns

Meanwhile, Mbappe allayed concerns over his fitness, describing the ankle issue that forced him off as minor and saying he was fine. "It's a minor ankle injury, but I'm fine. In that moment, I think (Jean-Philippe) Mateta was better suited to continue for the remaining minutes of the match. But I'm fine, don't worry," he added.

"We're aware that there's only one way to relax, and that's by winning. We're in the semifinals and we're very happy, but there's still a long way to go. We know what's ahead will be even tougher than what we've already been through, but we're ready to face whatever comes," he said.

Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.