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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Blow

Kylian Mbappe's gesture to PSG team-mate Achraf Hakimi perfectly sums up France star

Kylian Mbappe showed his class by helping Achraf Hakimi to his feet after France's World Cup win against Morocco on Wednesday.

France have reached their second successive World Cup final after goals from Theo Hernandez and substitute Randal Kolo Muani secured a 2-0 win at the Al Bayt Stadium. The defending champions will now face Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday.

Morocco defender Hakimi was devastated by his country's narrow defeat, yet France's talisman Mbappe was on hand to help him to his feet before swapping shirts. Hakimi and Mbappe are close friends and team-mates at Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Writing on Twitter after the match, Mbappe said: "Don’t be sad bro, everybody is proud of what you did, you made history." The words were accompanied by a photo of Mbappe and Hakimi hugging after the final whistle.

The PSG pair were forced to pause their friendship for 90 minutes on Wednesday, with Hakimi man-marking Mbappe. "He knows Mbappe better than me, he trains with him every day," said Morocco manager Walid Regragui before the semi-final.

Hakimi and Mbappe are said to be "inseparable" at PSG and spend much of their spare time together. It's believed Mbappe even visited his club team-mate during a rare day off at the World Cup after France's last-16 victory against Poland.

Furthermore, the "penguin" celebration Hakimi performed after scoring the winning penalty in Morocco's shootout triumph against Spain in the last 16 is thought to be an in-joke with Mbappe and Sergio Ramos, another PSG player.

Kylian Mbappe helped Achraf Hakimi to his feet after Morocco's World Cup exit (Getty Images)

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Hakimi and Mbappe even wished each other good luck ahead of the semi-final. "See you soon my friend," tweeted Hakimi before Mbappe replied with three love hearts. The duo endured a memorable battle on Wednesday, yet it's Mbappe who will play in the final.

Morocco boss Regragui admitted he was proud of his players following their famous campaign. Morocco made history in Qatar by becoming he first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final - beating Canada, Belgium Spain and Portugal in the process.

"The most important thing is to have shown a good face, to have shown that football in Morocco exists and that we have great supporters," Regragui told TF1. "We gave it our best... [the loss] doesn't take away everything we gave before."

Mbappe also swapped shirts with Hakimi (Getty Images)

France boss Didier Deschamps, meanwhile, has urged his team to get over the line against Argentina. Deschamps will become just the second coach to win two men's World Cups after former Italy boss Vittorio Pozzo if his team are victorious on Sunday.

Deschamps made history when France defeated Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final four years ago by becoming just the third man to win the World Cup as a player and a manager after Brazilian legend Mario Zagallo and German icon Franz Beckenbauer.

"There is emotion, pride - it was still a significant step," Deschamps told reporters after Wednesday's game. "There will be one last. We've been together with the players for a month, it's never easy, but it's been a joy so far."

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