A place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals is at stake when France and Morocco meet in a highly anticipated quarter-final clash tomorrow morning.
France, making their 16th FIFA World Cup appearance, are chasing a third world title after triumphs in 1998 and 2018.
The 2018 champions and 2022 runners-up have once again looked like serious title contenders, with a squad packed with attacking quality and tournament experience.
France has scored 14 goals on their way to the last eight, with captain Kylian Mbappé leading the attack with seven goals at this year’s tournament.
Mbappé is also firmly in the race for the Golden Boot. Argentina captain Lionel Messi currently leads the scoring charts with eight goals, while Mbappé and Norway striker Erling Haaland are close behind with seven goals each.
Les Bleus will also look to Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise for attacking inspiration as they aim to move one step closer to another World Cup final.
Morocco, making their seventh World Cup appearance, will be out for revenge against France, who ended their historic 2022 campaign with a 2-0 victory in the semi-finals.
The Atlas Lions have once again shown their resilience, overcoming strong opponents and proving they can compete with the best teams in the world.
Morocco will rely on the creativity of Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz and Ismael Saibari as they look to turn the tables on France and create another famous World Cup moment.
Kick-off for the clash between the two football powerhouses is scheduled for 8am tomorrow.
Meanwhile, in the other quarter-final matches, Spain will face Belgium at 7am on Saturday.
On Sunday, Norway will take on England at 9am, before Argentina face Switzerland at 1pm.
Source: Sports Illustrated
