The Moroccan national football team is set to seek revenge for their loss to France in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup as they prepare to face off in the quarterfinals of the 2026 tournament. This highly anticipated match, scheduled for Thursday, sees France entering as the clear favorite, with a significant statistical edge provided by Opta's advanced analytics, which grants them a 60.9% chance of advancing, while Morocco's prospects stand at 16.9%. The likelihood of the match concluding in a draw after regular time is calculated at 22.2%, adding to the tension surrounding this encounter.
France is striving to reach the World Cup semifinals for the third consecutive time, having won the title in 2018 and finishing as runners-up in 2022. Should they overcome Morocco, they would join an elite group of only three teams in history, alongside Germany and Brazil, to reach the semifinals in three successive tournaments. The French squad reached the quarterfinals following a hard-fought victory against Paraguay, secured by a penalty goal from Kylian Mbappé, bringing his total tally in the tournament to seven goals, tying him at the top of the golden boot race with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.
Furthermore, Michael Olise has emerged as a standout performer for France, significantly contributing to their offensive strength alongside Mbappé. The French team is currently on an impressive run, boasting seven consecutive victories in official matches. On the other hand, Morocco faces uncertainties regarding the fitness of Ismail Sabiri, who sustained a thigh injury during their round of 16 triumph over Canada, where he had scored in all group stage matches. Should he be unavailable, coach Mohamed Wahbi will rely on the talents of Ibrahim Díaz and Achraf Hakimi to maintain their attacking momentum.
Díaz has been Morocco's most productive player since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, netting six goals and providing four assists. Meanwhile, Hakimi leads the list of defenders in terms of creating opportunities over the last two World Cups, having crafted 15 chances in the 2026 edition, marking the highest figure for an African defender in a single tournament since such statistics have been recorded.
Additionally, there are concerns over the availability of defender Shadi Riyad due to a knee injury, while the French team is awaiting updates on Aurélien Tchouaméni and William Saliba, both of whom sustained injuries in the previous match. Historical records indicate that these two teams previously met in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup, where France emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline. Notably, France has not lost any of their six previous encounters against Morocco, achieving three victories and three draws. However, statistics reveal that half of France's World Cup defeats in the current century have come against African teams, providing Morocco with an additional motivation to stage another surprise and advance to the semifinals.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
