On July 8, 2026, the Moroccan national football team is poised for a rematch against France in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, seeking to avenge their defeat in the semi-finals of the 2022 tournament. This encounter promises to be an intense showdown, with France entering the match as the leading favorites for victory. According to Opta's advanced analytics, France has a probability of 60.9% to advance, while Morocco stands at a mere 16.9%, with a 22.2% chance that the match will end in a draw after regulation time.
France's Quest for a Historic Third Consecutive Semi-Final
The French team is aiming to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive time, having lifted the trophy in 2018 and finishing as runners-up in 2022. Should they succeed in overcoming Morocco, they would join an elite group of only two other teams in history—Germany and Brazil—who have achieved the remarkable feat of reaching the semi-finals in three consecutive World Cups. France secured their place in the quarter-finals following a hard-fought victory over Paraguay, where Kylian Mbappé netted the only goal from a penalty kick, bringing his tournament tally to seven goals and positioning him at the top of the Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.
Additionally, Michael Olise has been a standout performer, significantly contributing to France's attacking prowess alongside Mbappé. The French side has been in formidable form, boasting an impressive record of seven consecutive victories in official matches, which adds to their confidence heading into this crucial clash.
Morocco Faces Injury Concerns as They Seek an Upset
On the other hand, Morocco is grappling with uncertainties regarding the fitness of Ismail Sabiri, who sustained a thigh injury in their Round of 16 victory over Canada, where he had excelled throughout the group stage. Should Sabiri be unable to play, coach Mohammed Wahbi will likely rely on the talents of Ibrahim Diaz and Achraf Hakimi to maintain their offensive threat. Diaz has been the most prolific Moroccan player since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, having scored six goals and provided four assists, while Hakimi leads all defenders in terms of chance creation across the last two World Cup editions, having created 15 opportunities in the 2026 tournament alone—a record for an African defender in a single tournament since such statistics have been recorded.
Furthermore, there are concerns regarding the participation of defender Shadi Riad due to a knee injury, while the French team is anxiously awaiting updates on Aurelien Tchouameni and William Saliba, who both suffered injuries in their previous match. Historically, the two teams have met before in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, where France emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline. France has yet to lose in any of their six previous encounters against Morocco, with three wins and three draws to their name. Despite this, statistics indicate that half of France's World Cup defeats in the current century have come at the hands of African teams, providing Morocco with an additional incentive to aim for an upset and secure a place in the semi-finals.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
