Ousmane Dembele Celebrates France's Victory in FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals

Dembele's Growing Confidence

Ousmane Dembele shared his excitement after scoring and contributing to France's advancement to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026. He noted that his confidence is increasing as the tournament progresses, while also acknowledging the need for further improvement. The team remains determined to pursue victory.

Dembele highlighted the collective effort of the squad, stating, "I feel great. This is a familiar position for me with France and Paris Saint-Germain. I'm gaining momentum in this competition and am pleased with my performance, although I believe I can improve further. The team’s success is paramount, and we are focused on our ultimate goal of winning the tournament," as he mentioned in a video shared on social media.

Mbappe's Resilience After Penalty Miss

Kylian Mbappe bounced back from a missed penalty in the first half to net his eighth goal of the tournament. He also assisted Dembele for his fifth goal, helping the two-time champions secure a spot in the semi-finals against either Belgium or Spain.

Match Highlights

France dominated possession for significant portions of the match and was presented with a prime opportunity to score when Noussair Mazraoui fouled Mbappe in the penalty area. The captain took the penalty, but Yassine Bounou made an outstanding save, keeping the score level at halftime.

The breakthrough came in the second half when Mbappe delivered a spectacular shot into the far corner from the edge of the box. He then assisted Dembele, who finished calmly into the bottom corner, extending France's lead.

Under Didier Deschamps' management, the team effectively controlled the final moments of the match, marking their third consecutive appearance in the World Cup semi-finals, following their victory in 2018 and a runner-up finish against Argentina in 2022.