France reach World Cup 2026 quarter-finals and will face Morocco

France have reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In the Round of 16, Didier Deschamps’ side secured a difficult but fairly convincing victory and continued their push for the title.

The key moment of the match came after Desire Doue entered the pitch. The young midfielder immediately added sharpness to France’s play and won a penalty. Kylian Mbappe stepped up to the spot, confidently converted the attempt and once again became one of the main heroes of the game.

The goal allowed Mbappe to draw level with Lionel Messi in the race for the top scorer title at the current World Cup. Both star players now have 7 goals at the tournament.

In addition, Mbappe’s goal was France’s 150th in World Cup history. France became only the fourth team to reach this milestone after Brazil, Germany and Argentina.

Mbappe also set another record: he now has 7 goals at World Cups against South American teams — more than any other player in the history of the tournament.

In the quarter-finals, France will face Morocco. The teams already met at the previous World Cup in Qatar, where France defeated Morocco in the semi-finals. The new France vs Morocco clash will take place on July 9 at Boston Stadium.