Story perspectives

Mbappé Sets World Cup Record as France Face Morocco

7/9/2026

50 5

Summary

Story summary

Both teams enter the quarter-final missing players: Morocco without forward Ismael Saibari (hamstring strain) and France without midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni (muscle injury).
France will meet Morocco in the quarter-final at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Thursday July 9, 2026.
Kylian Mbappé’s penalty gave him his seventh tournament goal and 11th knockout-stage goal, a World Cup record, as France beat Paraguay 1-0.
Betting odds list France at –175 and Morocco at +475, making France the favorite.

History

Historical Context

France’s first World Cup triumph came on 12 July 1998, when Zidane’s two headers helped a 3-0 win over Brazil at the Stade de France, launching a legacy of depth-driven success. The 2026 quarter-final at Gillette Stadium repeats that test, with a star-less France missing Aurélien Tchouaméni facing an injury-hit Morocco lacking Ismaël Saibari.

1 of 2

Story summary

Both teams enter the quarter-final missing players: Morocco without forward Ismael Saibari (hamstring strain) and France without midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni (muscle injury).
France will meet Morocco in the quarter-final at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Thursday July 9, 2026.
Kylian Mbappé’s penalty gave him his seventh tournament goal and 11th knockout-stage goal, a World Cup record, as France beat Paraguay 1-0.
Betting odds list France at –175 and Morocco at +475, making France the favorite.

1 / 2