Captain Kylian Mbappe is fit for Tuesday’s encounter with Spain in the FIFA World Cup semifinal, as France coach Didier Deschamps declared the forward fit for the semi-finals.
France has been forced to reduce Mbappe’s role in the country’s final training session on Monday due to a minor ankle injury, leading Deschamps to tell reporters that “Kylian is fine”.
The France captain incurred the injury in the 2-0 win over Morocco, however, he will be fit to begin for the semifinal as France prepares to battle against Spain to qualify for the World Cup final.
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Deschamps has also cautioned Spain that France is not going to let them run the show.
He accepted that Spain has the ability to retain the ball, but added his side will also be controlling the ball and feels the contest will be won by whoever controls the ball.
With the same assurance, midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery declared that “France has the quality to keep possession, defend well and attack effectively whenever they get the chance”.
France has also been emboldened by the return of Aurelien Tchouameni, who has come off the bench to play. He missed the last two knockout matches due to injury.
Deschamps admitted the midfielder is not 100 per cent fit, however he can be selected for the match.
Defender Jules Kounde also emphasised the need not to let Spain dominate possession for too long.
In the UEFA Nations League semifinals in 2025, Spain beat France in the semifinals, and they did it again in the Euro 2024 semifinals.
But Deschamps feels the past encounters have little significance as both sides have changed and a few of their players are in different forms.
France is hoping to qualify for a third-straight FIFA World Cup final, with Mbappe leading the way with the tournament’s top score.
Is Kylian Mbappe fit to play against Spain?
Yes. France coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Mbappe is fit despite suffering a minor ankle injury against Morocco.
Will Aurelien Tchouameni play in the semifinal?
Tchouameni is available for selection after recovering from a hamstring injury, although Deschamps said he is not yet fully recovered.
Also read: Mbappe leads France to World Cup semifinal after thrashing Morocco
