France, Morocco Set for World Cup Quarter-final

France and Morocco are set to renew their rivalry on football's biggest stage when they meet in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals at Foxborough Stadium in Boston, USA, in the early hours of Thursday (2:00 am Bangladesh time).
It will be the first World Cup meeting between the two sides since their high-profile semi-final clash at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
France have been among the tournament's standout performers so far. However, they were made to work hard in the round of 16 against Paraguay before Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty to secure a narrow 1-0 victory and send Les Bleus into the last eight.
Morocco, meanwhile, cruised into the quarter-finals with an impressive 3-0 win over Canada. The Atlas Lions also enjoyed a strong group-stage campaign, drawing with Brazil before comfortably defeating Haiti and Scotland. Their consistent performances have set up another highly anticipated knockout clash.
France ended Morocco's fairytale run at the 2022 World Cup with a 2-0 victory in the semi-finals. Four years later, the French enter as favourites once again, but Morocco are no longer viewed as underdogs. Instead, they have established themselves as genuine title contenders.
Following the win over Canada, Morocco coach Mohammed Wahbi said his team had moved beyond being considered a surprise package.
"We are no longer a surprise, and that is our biggest achievement. I believe this is only the beginning, and we want to maintain this level of success for many years to come," he said.
The match also carries historical significance beyond football. Morocco was a French protectorate during the 20th century, while around 700,000 people of Moroccan origin currently live in France. Despite that backdrop, Wahbi insisted his team are not driven by thoughts of revenge but by a desire to bring joy to their supporters. Still, defeating France would undoubtedly carry extra satisfaction.
France boast one of the most feared attacking units in the competition. Mbappe has already scored seven goals and is level with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland at the top of the Golden Boot race. The squad also features Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, who scored a hat-trick against Norway during the group stage.
Morocco, however, possess one of the tournament's strongest defensive units. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has once again been outstanding, while Achraf Hakimi remains one of the world's finest right-backs. Their disciplined defence and hard-working midfield will be tasked with containing France's star-studded attack.
France also demonstrated their fighting spirit in the victory over Paraguay. Despite relentless physical pressure, provocation from their opponents and several contentious refereeing decisions by Ilgiz Tantashev, the French maintained their composure to grind out the result.
Substitute Rayan Cherki delivered a strong message after the match.
"We reminded everyone that France don't just play beautiful football. If anyone wants a battle with us, they should be ready for exactly that."

MMR