Deschamps backs Mbappé’s confidence after penalty miss
France manager Didier Deschamps has lauded Kylian Mbappé’s self‑belief after the striker missed a first‑half penalty in the clash against Morocco.
Mbappé bounced back from the missed spot‑kick to break the deadlock in the 60th minute, then set up Ousmane Dembélé for France’s second goal. The Real Madrid forward was withdrawn with 13 minutes remaining due to minor ankle discomfort, but Deschamps confirmed there are no serious concerns about his availability for the semi‑final.
Deschamps said he never doubted Mbappé’s ability to respond, even after the penalty miss and several earlier chances that went unconverted.
“When it’s Kylian, there’s no problem; he never doubts himself, even though he had another chance before scoring,” Deschamps remarked.
The victory marks France’s third consecutive appearance in a World Cup semi‑final, a feat Deschamps described as logical yet still requiring hard work.
Mbappé’s goal also added to his World Cup legacy. He now has eight goals in six matches at the 2026 tournament, matching his tally from the 2022 edition. This makes him the first player ever to score at least eight goals in two different World Cup editions.
With this strike, Mbappé’s overall World Cup tally reaches 20 goals, trailing only Lionel Messi’s 21. He previously netted four times during France’s victorious 2018 campaign.
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