On Thursday, the Moroccan national football team will face off against France in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, seeking to avenge their defeat in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup. France enters the match as the clear favorite, with statistical analyses from the renowned company Opta suggesting a 60.9% chance of progressing to the next round, compared to Morocco's 16.9%. There is also a 22.2% likelihood that the match will end in a draw after regular time.
French Team's Quest for Glory
The French squad is eager to reach the semifinals for the third consecutive time, having claimed the World Cup title in 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2022. Should they successfully overcome Morocco, they would join an elite group of nations, namely Germany and Brazil, that have achieved the remarkable feat of reaching the semifinals in three consecutive tournaments. France advanced to the quarterfinals following a challenging victory against Paraguay, secured by a penalty goal from Kylian Mbappé, who now stands at seven goals in the tournament, tying with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland for the top spot in the Golden Boot race. Additionally, Michael Olise has been a standout performer, significantly contributing to France's attacking strength alongside Mbappé, as the team maintains a remarkable streak of seven consecutive official match victories.
On the other hand, Morocco faces concerns regarding the fitness of Ismail Sabiri, who sustained a thigh injury during their Round of 16 victory over Canada, having scored in every group stage match. Should he be unavailable, coach Mohamed Wahbi will look to Ibrahim Díaz and Achraf Hakimi to continue their offensive prowess. Díaz has emerged as Morocco's most impactful player since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, netting six goals and providing four assists, while Hakimi leads all defenders in creating scoring opportunities in the last two World Cups, having crafted 15 chances in the 2026 edition alone, marking the highest number by an African defender in a single tournament since these statistics began being recorded.
Injury Concerns and Previous Encounters
There are also doubts surrounding the availability of defender Shadi Riyad due to a knee injury, while the French side awaits updates on Aurélien Tchouaméni and William Saliba, both of whom suffered injuries in their previous match. The two teams have previously met in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup, where France triumphed with a score of 2-0. Historically, France has never lost to Morocco in their six prior encounters, boasting three wins and three draws. However, statistics reveal that half of France's defeats in the World Cup during the 21st century have occurred against African teams, providing Morocco with additional motivation to aim for another stunning upset and secure a place in the semifinals.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
