Kylian Mbappe eased fears over his fitness after leaving France's World Cup quarterfinal victory early Thursday, insisting he is "completely fine" after scoring his 20th career World Cup goal in a 2-0 win over Morocco that sent the defending champions into a third consecutive semifinal.
The French superstar was substituted in the 77th minute, prompting concern among supporters, but quickly downplayed the issue after the match, saying the decision was purely precautionary.
"I have a minor ankle injury, but I'm completely fine," Mbappe said after the final whistle. "(Jean-Philippe) Mateta was in a better position to play the remaining minutes of the match and was fitter at that moment. That's all that happened."
Mbappe walked off under his own power and waved to the crowd with both arms before taking his place on the bench, easing fears that France could be without its biggest star for next week's semifinal.
Before his exit, the 27-year-old delivered another milestone performance, breaking the deadlock in the 60th minute with his eighth goal of the tournament and the 20th of his World Cup career. The strike kept him level with Argentina's Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot, while Messi still holds a one-goal advantage in the all-time World Cup scoring charts.
