Mbappé Sends France Into the Last Four as USA Exit on Home Soil

Kylian Mbappé delivered the decisive blow at the 2026 World Cup quarter-final stage, scoring a stunning opener and creating Ousmane Dembélé's second as France eliminated Morocco 2-0. Mbappé had earlier missed a penalty, but the moment of quality that mattered most was his — he departed to a standing ovation with 13 minutes left, and France are now firmly established as one of the tournament's leading candidates for the title. Morocco, who reached the semi-finals in Qatar, have again fallen at the quarter-final hurdle.

Elsewhere in the tournament, the United States were knocked out, a painful result for a co-hosting nation that had promised more than it ultimately produced. The exit is made harsher by the confirmed absence of Christian Pulisic, who has been ruled out for several weeks with a microfracture and bone bruise — a significant blow that arrived too late to change their fate but underlines the fragility of their campaign. England, meanwhile, face their own injury concerns ahead of Saturday's quarter-final against Norway, with Marc Guehi managing a hamstring problem and Jarell Quansah banned for two matches following his red card against Mexico.

Off the pitch, Sheffield United's ownership crisis deepened, with the EFL confirming an investigation into allegations that COH Sports structured a new parent company to evade a £35m payment to former owner Prince Abdullah, who has now filed a winding-up petition in the high court.