The business end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially gets underway as the quarterfinals kick off with a France-Morocco clash at 9pm Nigerian time on Thursday.
The epic showdown is a high-calibre repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final in Qatar. Four years ago, goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani ended Morocco’s fairytale run as the first African nation to reach the final four.
This time around, Morocco enter the match-up with a bit of swagger to their game. They have shredded the greenness of being the underdogs, and Mohamed Ouahbi, the team’s head coach, has repeatedly said his side is capable of defeating anyone in global football.
True to their self-image, the Atlas Lions have been impressive in the competition. Morocco are the last African country left; they remain unbeaten and have sent home heavyweights like the Netherlands. Their last 16 match against Canada demonstrated a shift in Ouahbi’s team’s mentality. While many African countries dominated their opponents and collapsed to late goals, Morocco managed the match until the end, scoring two late goals to kill off the Canadians.
However, France pose a threat that’s almost at the level of facing an assembly of superheroes. Didier Deschamps’ ultra-attacking machine has looked imperial, netting 14 goals over the course of the tournament. They conquered Group I with wins over Senegal, Iraq, and Norway before brushing aside Sweden 3-0 in the last 32. Their last outing was a gritty, ill-tempered 1-0 victory against a rugged Paraguay side.
The Paraguayans and their dark arts have been the only team to stop the French from clicking into their usual heavy-scoring rhythm, and the Moroccans might have a bit of an answer from that.
If Morocco can force the persistent stutter of the dynamic attack led by Kylian Mbappe — who is chasing Lionel Messi for the tournament golden boot with 7 goals — alongside Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, and either Desire Doue or Bradley Barcola, then half the battle is won.
The other half lies in the Atlas Lions’ hands with their own impressive attackers. Although Ismael Saibari, the team’s leading goalscorer, will be out, they still possess enough firepower to hurt any defence. Captain Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz’s combination on the right side has been electric, and adding Soufiane Rahimi up front will be sufficient problems for France.
France halted Morocco’s historical run in Qatar. Will thunder strike twice at the same spot, or are the Atlas Lions prepared to execute one of the biggest revenges in World Cup history?
