Kylian Mbappé showed no sentiment against Morocco. Facing Achraf Hakimi, his former PSG teammate and very close friend, the France captain stayed focused on one thing only: helping Les Bleus qualify for the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
France handled their quarter-final perfectly. This Thursday, Les Bleus beat Morocco (2-0) and continued their run in the tournament. The win was marked by another decisive performance from Kylian Mbappé, who scored and provided an assist in the match.
Mbappé put friendship aside on the pitch
The duel had everything to make it special. Opposite him, Achraf Hakimi dreamed of leading Morocco to another World Cup semi-final. But once the match kicked off, Mbappé put their friendship aside. For him, emotion had no place on the pitch.
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“Was it hard to see him sad on the pitch? No, no. It will be harder when I see him again in the dressing room, because we become human again, we become friends again. But on the pitch, there is no emotion. I am here to win, and he was here to win too. Of course, when I see him again in the dressing room, it will affect me because he is a very close friend. But there are no feelings here,” the France captain told M6.
It was a blunt statement, in keeping with a player completely focused on winning. Mbappé knows these moments are decided by details and that a World Cup quarter-final leaves no room for compassion. After doing the job with Les Bleus, the Real Madrid forward will be able to reunite with Hakimi in another setting, away from the tension of the match. France, meanwhile, march on and will play their semi-final on Tuesday in Dallas with the aim of reaching another World Cup final.
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