Speaking on German broadcaster Magenta TV while covering the FIFA World Cup, Klopp recalled the elaborate efforts Liverpool made to convince the then-teenage French forward and his family to choose Anfield over Paris Saint-Germain.

Coming into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, France were always tipped as the team to beat.

Mbappe is a competitive beast that simply refuses to be contained, and at this point the World Cup is fast becoming entirely synonymous with the French superstar.

Mbappe became the youngest player to reach 20 World Cup appearances at the age of 27 and also equalled Hugo Lloris' French record for matches played at the tournament.

France produced a performance that stripped away the romance and reminded everyone why they remain one of international football's gold standards.

France never doubted they would go through despite Kylian Mbappe missing a penalty and having wasted several chances in the first half in their World Cup quarter-final clash against Morocco, coach Didier Deschamps said on Thursday.

A disappointed Morocco said they had hoped to progress past the World Cup quarterfinals, but had to accept they lost to a better team as France eliminated them 2-0 in Thursday's tie.

Kylian Mbappe recovered from having a first-half penalty saved to score a magnificent opener that set France on their way to a 2-0 win over Morocco in their World Cup quarterfinal showdown today.

A chance for revenge, compelling man-to-man duels, and a battle between attacking fluency and tactical composure -- all are set to unfold at Boston Stadium when tournament favourites France take on a Moroccan side that have steadily established themselves as one of world football's genuine powerhouses.

Before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, European heavyweights France and Spain were widely regarded as the leading contenders for the title, thanks to the remarkable depth and quality of their squads as well as their recent form.

France striker Kylian Mbappe hit back at a Paraguayan senator, describing her as a "despicable woman" on Monday after she launched a racist attack on him following Paraguay's elimination from the World Cup.

France star Kylian Mbappe reclaimed top spot after netting his seventh goal of the tournament in the Round of 16 victory over Paraguay. The French forward edges ahead thanks to his two assists, giving him the advantage over Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who also sits on seven goals.

During the 1982 World Cup, a 22-year-old Diego Maradona was beginning to reveal the extraordinary talent that would eventually make him one of football's greatest players. Standing in his way was Italy centre-back Claudio Gentile -- ironically anything but gentle.

Didier Deschamps feared that Kylian Mbappe would be "chopped down" by Paraguay in Saturday's ill-tempered clash in Philadelphia, which saw France advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.

With the 2026 World Cup still ongoing and the possibility of future tournaments ahead, Mbappe appears well placed to challenge, and potentially surpass, Messi's record in the years to come.

Their win was less a showcase of French elegance than a survival exercise, with Kylian Mbappe's penalty finally settling an ill-tempered contest that Paraguay had dragged into their preferred territory of physical confrontation and tactical disruption.

France captain Kylian Mbappe said his side were happy to do whatever it takes to advance in the World Cup after they battled through a bad-tempered last-16 tie with Paraguay to win 1-0 on Saturday.

Kylian Mbappe's second-half penalty earned France a hard-fought 1-0 win over Paraguay in the World Cup last 16 in scorching heat on Saturday, sending them into a quarter-final against Morocco.

The inaugural Round of 32 in the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup delivered on every front. There were shocks and surprises, thrilling comebacks, heartbreaking exits and the fall of several giants.

Top favourites France will be eyeing a place in the quarterfinals as they take on Paraguay in their FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash at Philadelphia Stadium tonight.