France’s Kylian Mbappe drilled fan with World Cup warm-up shot

Kylian Mbappé’s worst play of the night happened before the game.

While warming up for France’s eventual 2-0 World Cup semifinal win over Morocco, Mbappé accidentally struck a French fan in the face with an errant shot. Mbappé ran over to apologize and check on the fan, who was also being helped by the people around him.

There’s no official word on what ended up happening to the man in question, but the series of photographs taken around the incident is certainly dramatic.

rance's Kylian Mbappe approaches a fan in the stands after he hits him with the ball during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Lee Smith
France’s Kylian Mbappe approaches a fan in the stands after he hits him with the ball during the warm up.

Kylian Mbappe of France apologizes to a fan who was hit by a stray ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi final match between France and Morocco at Al Bayt Stadium on December 14, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Kylian Mbappe of France apologizes to a fan who was hit by a stray ball.


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France's Kylian Mbappe approaches a fan in the stands after he hits him with the ball during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Lee Smith TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Semi Final - France v Morocco
France’s Kylian Mbappe approaches a fan in the stands after he hits him with the ball during the warm up.

Kylian Mbappe apologises to fan after hitting him in the face with a ball ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup semi-final football match between France and Morocco at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, north of Doha on December 14, 2022
Kylian Mbappe apologises to fan after hitting him in the face with a ball.


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The injured man is at the center of most of them, surrounded by fans tending to him with Mbappé often in the foreground. It makes for a good photograph, though he does look worse for wear.

Hopefully he was able to recover on time for the match, which saw France reach its second straight World Cup final.

Mbappé, it seems, got the inaccuracy out of his system pretty quickly. He helped set up France’s first goal before recording an assist on the second for another brilliant all-around performance on a stage he seems to relish.

Four years ago, Mbappé became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pelé. Now he may equal the Brazilian’s feat of being a centerpiece in back-to-back titles.