One Extraordinary Photo: France's Kylian Mbappe the center of attention of again
France's Kylian Mbappe (10) makes a pass as Morocco's Issa Diop (14) and Neil El Aynaoui, right, defend during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. Credit: AP/Stephanie Scarbrough
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Stephanie Scarbrough is a staff photographer with The Associated Press based in Baltimore. Her photo assignments range from sports and daily life to breaking news. This is her first World Cup.
Why this photo
For teams that have made it to the quarterfinals, the stakes and pressure to advance is immensely high. For Morocco, this match was reminiscent of the meeting with France four years ago at the World Cup in Qatar, when it became the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semifinal but was knocked out in 2-0 loss. Morocco got another shot at France Thursday in this year's quarterfinals. In this photo, France’s Kylian Mbappe passes the ball while being defended by two Morocco players to his left and right. The underdogs surround the favorite. The tension of each player’s desperation is on display: concentrated faces, arms reaching and the forward movement of the ball.
How I made this photo
I shot this photo from my pitch position opposite the bench side with a 400mm lens. The fast shutter speed of 1/4000 second freezes the motion at the moment Mbappe kicks the ball to pass and the grass below flies up with the impact.
Why it works
This photo has strong symmetry, both in color and shape, which makes it compositionally pleasing. But it also tells the story of one team chasing history while the other looks to continue writing it.
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