Here’s David Hytner’s report from the Al-Bayt Stadium. Goodnight!
“Before the match, had you told me that France would take the lead in the first five minutes, I would have despaired at how watchable the game would be,” says Eric Peterson. “How wrong I was. Morocco didn’t just keep France honest, they asked questions aplenty.
“Here’s hoping the step from disappointment at the loss to appreciation of what they’ve accomplished happens as soon as possible for the Atlas Lions. They deserve it. As for France v Argentina, well, that should be somewhat watchable, huh?”
“Griezmann has been the player of the tournament, I agree,” says Kári Tulinius. “What’s most remarkable about that is that he’s playing a role he’s never performed before, in a position he’s never played in. He may have ensured his place on a very short list of all-time greats.”
It’s really interesting, because he’s playing as a No8 while retaining elements of a No10. And his defensive awareness is extraordinary.
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“Griezmann MoTM?” says Brad Wilson. “I say yes.”
Yep. I’d argue he’s the player of the tournament, in that he has influenced the nuts and bolts of games a lot more than Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Then again, those two have a helluva highlights package. Apples and oranges I guess.
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Argentina v France, then. Messi v Mbappe. Ten others v ten others.
The two teams met in the second round of the last World Cup, when France came from behind to win a seven-goal thriller.
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Walid Regragui is embraced by Olivier Giroud, his old Grenoble teammate, and then Didier Deschamps. There are some tears, but not devastation – the Morocco players, in the parlance of our time, left everything out there, and their primary emotion should be pride. They have joined the list of World Cup immortals.
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Full time: France 2-0 Morocco
France will play Argentina in the World Cup final after a hard-fought victory over Morocco. Theo Hernandez’s early goal changed the pattern of the game, with Morocco dominating possession for the first time in the tournament. Both teams hit the post, both missed excellent chances, and there were plenty of nervous moments for France before the substitute Randal Kolo Muani scored with his first touch in the 79th minute.
France did enough, as they have throughout the tournament really. They are one game away from making history; Morocco have already done that.
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90+4 min: How did that stay out?! After a great run from Ezzalzouli on the left, Ounahi’s volley was half blocked by Hernandez. It ricocheted to Hamdallah, whose instinctive close-range shot was blocked on the line by Kounde.
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90+3 min The tireless Ounahi’s shot deflects over the bar. Ziyech takes the corner short to Amrabat, whose cross is headed away.
90+2 min Mbappe nutmegs Amrabat and then surges away from Dari on the edge of the area, but Hakimi tracks him and makes a fine challenge.
90+1 min There will be six minutes of added time.
90 min Aboukhlal’s shot on the turn is saved by Lloris, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was offside.
86 min Ziyech tries to twist inside Thuram, who stands up and wins a goalkick.
84 min Marcus Thuram played a part in that goal, too, drawing defenders towards him before giving the ball to Mbappe. He’s been outstanding, and not just with the ball – Morocco have had very little joy down their right since he came on.
81 min In years to come, folk will look at the scoreline and think it was a game too far for Morocco, that France won easily, like the favourites always do against the underdog in a World Cup semi-final. That hasn’t been the case at all.
The Morocco fairytale is over, but Randal Kolo Muani has a little fairytale of his own. It was made by Mbappe, who zig-zagged thrillingly between two players on the edge of the penalty box. His shot hit Ezzalzouli, who has also just come on, and ricocheted across the area to give Kolo Muani an open goal.
GOAL! France 2-0 Morocco (Kolo Muani 79)
Randal Kolo Muani scores with his first touch!
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79 min: France substitution Randal Kolo Muani comes for Ousmane Dembele, who had a quiet game.
78 min: Morocco substitution Abde Ezzalzouli replaces Selim Amallah, who came on as a substitute in the first half.
76 min: Chance for Morocco! Tchouameni loses the ball in a dangerous area, and it’s collected by Hamdallah. He surges into the area, wriggles past two defenders – but then tries to come back inside onto his right foot and is tackled! Why didn’t he shoot with his left? He was only eight yards from goal.
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75 min Griezmann wins another loose ball on the edge of the France area and is fouled. He has the defensive anticipation of somebody who has spent the last 10 years watching videos of Claude Makelele.
74 min Fofana finds Thuram on the left. He gives the ball back to Fofana, who splashes wide from a tight angle. Thuram has been really good.
74 min France are looking more comfortable now. We know 1-0 is a dangerous lead, almost as dangerous as 2-0, but it doesn’t feel as fraught as it did 10 or 15 minutes ago.
72 min Griezmann nicks another ball in midfield and then draws a foul to buy France some time. He’s been so good with and without the ball, tonight and throughout the tournament.
71 min: Chance for France! Griezmann’s teasing free-kick is headed just wide by Thuram at the far post. That was a really good chance, though he was under a bit of pressure from a defender.
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70 min Dari is lucky to avoid a yellwo card for shoving over Thuram, who has looked really lively since coming on.
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69 min Griezmann’s free-kick flashes across the face of goal. France reclaim possession and Mbappe has a fierce shot blocked, though the flag went up subsequently for offside.
68 min Hakimi commits a needless foul on Thuram near the corner flag…
67 min Attiat-Allah’s lofted cross just evades the leaping Aboukhlal at the near post before being claimed by Lloris. I think it would have been offside anyway.
66 min: Double substitution for Morocco Zakaria Aboukhlal and Abderrazak Hamdallah replaces Boufal and En-Nesyri.
65 min: France substitution Marcus Thuram, whose dad Lilian scored twice in the 1998 semi-final, replaces Olivier Giroud. Mbappe is now playing up front.
63 min Boufal does superbly to get to the byline on the right, but his cutback is cleared by… Griezmann again. He’s having some tournament.
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61 min France have barely crossed the halfway line in the second half. They’re either asking for trouble or managing the game cleverly, and I’ll tell you which one in about half an hour’s time.
60 min Griezmann’s long-range shot deflects wide, though everybody knew Mbappe was offside earlier in the move.
59 min Mbappe is limping slightly after a couple of heavy challenges, and Marcus Thuram is warming up.
56 min After more intricate build-up play on the right, Ounahi’s cross almost falls for Hakimi in front of goal. It would have done but for good anticipation by Griezmann on the six-yard line.
Hernandez is being overwhelmed on that side of the field.
55 min Morocco are looking really dangerous, particularly down their right.
54 min: Chances plural for Morocco! Boufal’s dangerous cross from the right just evades En-Nesyri at the near post and comes to Attiatt-Allah, who can’t control his shot as the ball kicks up a little awkwardly. Moments later Attiat-Allah finds a bit of space on the left side of the area and tries to pick out En-Nesyri in front of an open goal. Konate, again, does extremely well to get in front and clear.
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52 min Mbappe is back on his feet after receiving treatment. I think it was a fair challenge from Amrabat; it was certainly a strong one.
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51 min Ziyech plays a beautiful one-two-three with Hakimi, whose cross is well blocked at the near post by Konate. France break through Mbappe, who is sent flying by an emphatic man-and-ball challenge from Amrabat just outside the area. The referee waves play on.
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50 min Ziyech’s cross is cleared at the near post by Konate. He’s quietly had a good game.
48 min Griezmann, arguably the player of the tournament, uses Giroud by not using him and slides a lovely ball towards Mbappe on the edge of the area. Hakimi tracks him well and Bono jumps from his line to claim.
47 min Mbappe roasts Hakimi and Amrabat on the left, gets to the byline but then overhits his cross.
47 min “I really can’t understand why more isn’t being made of that decision to penalise Boufal when Hernandez took him out,” says Sam Campbell. “We are constantly told getting the ball is irrelevant these days and Hernandez goes through him on the follow through. In my opinion that’s a far worse decision than any that England didn’t get at the weekend.”
I don’t think getting the ball is irrelevant; it depends on the context. In this case I think the fact he won the ball and pushed it away from Boufal made it just about a fair tackle. That said, Rio Ferdinand thought it should have been a penalty for Morocco.
Sofiane Boufal got booked for this inside the France box 👀#BBCWorldCup #FifaWorldCup
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 14, 2022
46 min Peep peep!
Morocco substitution Yet another injury for Morocco. Yahya Attiat-Allah has replaced Noussair Mazraoui.
“The football’s kind of interesting,” writes Douglas. “Absolutely no one, whatsoever, is interested in any way, whatsoever, with emails you’ve received criticising your content.”
“I think Morocco have looked very lively since they conceded,” says Alexandra Ashton. “Wouldn’t be too surprised if they nick one in the second half, and after that, who knows… An African side in the World Cup final would be something to behold, and I will never count this Morocco side out. They’re stellar.”
“Someone on the planet,” says David Neilson, “should mention that Mbappe was surrounded by seven Morocco players when he hit that shot that led to the Hernandez goal.”
What a goal that would have been 🤯
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 14, 2022
Hugo Lloris gets a hand to Jawad El Yamiq's overhead kick which hits the post 😲#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/1jUjDsB1SE
“If you posted the players’ names from each team in a different font (or just italics vs caps) it would be much easier to follow for the probable majority who do not know the names of all the players,” says Michael Daley. “PS I agree about updating lineups with substitutions...”
Half-time reading
Half time: France 1-0 Morocco
Peep peep! France lead through Theo Hernandez’s early goal, but Morocco played an equal part in a thrilling and surprisingly open first half. Both teams have hit the post, and Hugo Lloris has probably been the busier keeper. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
45 min Three minutes of added time.
44 min: El Yamiq hits the post! What a goal that would have been. Ziyech’s inswinging corner was headed away by Giroud towards the end of the area, where El Yamiq launched himself into a slightly inelegant but spectacular overhead kick. Lloris flew to his right and got the slightest touch to push the ball onto the post. That’s a helluva save.
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44 min Ounahi plays an excellent return ball to Hakimi in the area, but his low cross is superbly blocked by the sliding Konate. Corner to Morocco…
42 min Morocco have had 55 per cent of the possession, which I think is their highest in this tournament. It’s also the first time they’ve been behind in the tournament.
41 min “Your match stats do not show who has been substituted in the starting line up,” writes Nicklas Nilsson. “Room for improvement...”
Haven’t we all.
40 min Griezmann’s corner is flicked wide by Varane in front of the near post. A quarter chance at best.
38 min This is a decent spell for France, who know that a second goal before half-time would probably finish Morocco off.
36 min: Great chances for Mbappe and Giroud! France should be 2-0 up. Tchouameni threaded a superb ball inside Hakimi to find Mbappe in the area. He screwed a shot past Bono that was kicked away by El Yamiq, though it wasn’t going in anyway as Mbappe had been knocked slightly off balance by Hakimi. France regained possession, and a few seconds later Giroud curled a first-time shot wide from about 12 yards. He should have scored.
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34 min Griezmann’s corner hits a couple of players and bounces away from goal towards Fofana, who hooks a shot on the turn high and wide. Wasn’t much of a chance.
33 min Tchouameni pings a long-range drive that is blocked by … Giroud.
29 min Giroud, who has been really good so far, nicks the ball off Amrabat in midfield before being fouled by Amallah.
27 min Boufal is booked for a foul on Theo Hernandez in the France area. It’s a good job Hernandez got a touch on the ball because he then wiped out Boufal in his follow through.
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26 min The scoreline means Morocco are having a lot of the ball, more than in most games at this tournament, and they are playing with plenty of attacking optimism. Hakimi hits a stinging shot from 22 yards that is blocked by Konate.
24 min I’m now being told, via my inbox, that making a joke about old people living in fear of cancel culture is racist. How that works, I don’t know, but I think I might watch the football for a bit instead of trying to incorporate emails in this blog.
22 min So Morocco have lost both Saiss and Aguerd since they announced the team a couple of hours ago. If they do lose, they’ll always wonder what might have been with a fully fit defence. Then again, France can say the same about Rabiot and Upamecano, not to mention Benzema, Pogba, Kante and the rest.
21 min Selim Amallah replaces poor Saiss, which probably means a switch to 4-3-3. Saiss gives the armband to Hakim Ziyech.
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19 min It looks like the Moroccan captain Romain Saiss is going off. That’s really sad, though not entirely surprising given the hamstring injury he suffered on Saturday.
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17 min: Giroud hits the post! A long ball from the back beats Saiss, who doesn’t look fit, and reaches Giroud. He smashes a half-volley that swirls away from Bono and thumps the outside of the post.
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17 min Another promising break from Morocco. Boufal scoots away from a couple of players in midfield and angles a pass to Ziyech on the right side of the area. He takes a touch but shoots tamely wide on the stretch.
15 min The goal aside, Morocco have started really well. It will annoy them that the goal was so avoidable; there was no need for El Yamiq to try to win the ball in front of Griezmann, especially when there was so much space behind him.
FRANCE HIT THE FRONT 🔥
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 14, 2022
Theo Hernandez puts the world champs ahead inside the first five minutes 💪#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/DS8N7OdYRv
11 min: Good save by Lloris! Morocco have responded really well to going behind. Ounahi sidefoots a wobbling shot from 25 yards that is well saved by Lloris, diving a long way to his left.
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9 min The defender on the line, Dari I think, had a chance to block Hernandez’s shot but seemed to panic and kicked under the ball. I’d like to see it again to be sure but it looked… if not a howler, then at least a missed opportunity.
8 min “Admitting that you don’t know enough about a topic to comment is intelligent, but you undid that with the silly ‘cancelled’ joke, which implies that you are critical of negative responses to bigotry,” writes Michael S Weller. “You didn’t mean to imply that, I’m sure, but that’s how your joke comes across. A simple test: were you going to say something racist or xenophobic? If not, then you won’t be ‘cancelled’. It’s really easy not to be ‘cancelled’: don’t say bigoted things.”
That’s the last time I crack a joke on the internet.
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Theo Hernandez, who had such a stinker against England, is now France’s hero. Griezmann slipped El Yamiq, who committed himself unnecessarily, in the inside-right channel and passed low towards Mbappe. He had one shot blocked, then another, but the ball ricocheted towards Hernandez beyond the far post. He did really well to get over the top of the bouncing ball – which was well above waist height - and crack it past both Bono and the defender on the line.
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GOAL! France 1-0 Morocco (T Hernandez 5)
Morocco are behind for the first time in the tournament!
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4 min A slow start, with both teams feeling their way into the game. Every French touch is being whistled.
2 min Hang on, Nayef Aguerd has pulled out after the warm-up. Achraf Dari is playing instead.
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1 min Peep peep! The first World Cup semi-final involving an African team is officially under way.
History beckons. Dima Maghrib! 🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) December 14, 2022
Me on the beauty of Morocco, the Moroccan mums, and Islam https://t.co/JrPmeZfbUZ
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) December 14, 2022
Right, I’m away to grab a drink. See you in a few minutes for France v Morocco in the World Cup semi-final.
“It’s peeing down here in Essaouira,” writes David (a different one). “Good news for the cafes.”
“I also disagree with Charles,” writes David. “I think there’s something genuinely amazing about an underdog team that is so tactically shrewd. When games are goalless, they pile bodies forward on the counterattack and their wingers are technically so good: crisp one-twos and mazy dribbling all the way. Then when they go ahead they all sit deep for the rest of the game, defend doggedly and ride their luck when they have to. Brilliant tournament football for me!”
Is their approach really that different from Argentina’s? If they get through, that might be the first World Cup final in which neither team wants to dominate possession.
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A reminder of the teams
France (4-2-3-1ish) Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Konate, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Fofana; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud.
Substitutes: Pavard, Disasi, Guendouzi, Kolo Muani, Veretout, Mandanda, Saliba, Upamecano, Coman, Areola, Camavinga, Thuram.
Morocco (5-2-3) Bono; Hakimi, El Yamiq, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui; Amrabat, Ounahi; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal.
Substitutes: Hamdallah, Zaroury, Sabiri, El Kajoui, Chair, Aboukhlal, Amallah, Ezzalzouli, Dari, Tagnaouti, El Khannouss, Benoun, Attiat-Allah, Jabrane.
Referee Cesar Arturo Ramos Palazuelos (Mexico)
“Let’s face it, Morocco will almost certainly lose today,” says Gregory Phillips. “But these moments before the game are like spending a quid on a lottery ticket; it’s permission to dream about the what if. Instead of a creditable run to the semis, right now Morocco are potential world champions. Breathe it in while you can, because reality won’t taste half as good.”
“Not so sure Sweden were shock finalists in 1958,” says Andreas Broman. “The won the 1948 Olympic gold, were bronze medalists in 1950 and included Serie A greats like Nils Liedholm, Gunnar Gren, Nacka Skoglund and Kurt Hamrin. They also played at home.”
Fair points, one and all. I suppose the last shock finalists (unless you count Croatia) were Czechoslovakia in 1962. Either way, I do think the point stands – in the modern era, a lot of underdogs have gone quietly in the semi-final of the World Cup. Poland in 1982, Belgium in 1986, Sweden and Bulgaria in 1994, Turkey and South Korea in 2002, England in 2018.
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It’s 40 years since France played in the greatest World Cup semi-final of all
Why not get away from the madness of the World Cup with some er... World Cup madness?@nessundormapod is back with a one-off, deep dive into West Germany 3 France 3. You'll remember it - https://t.co/bax2pmm2cD
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) November 19, 2022
“I’ll buck the trend and come out in support of Charles Antaki here,” says David Zepeda. “I won’t let the feelgood underdog vibes sway me. Morocco defending all day and counter-attacking and generally looking like Greece 2004 2.0 might be effective, but it’s excruciating to watch. Just because they can use this strategy doesn’t mean they should. Morocco have scored five goals all tournament. Not exactly turning on the style.”
“Setting aside catenaccio and whether the perfect game of football ends 0-0, it does seem like the evergreen theory still and always applies: you won’t lose if you don’t concede, though you can’t win if you don’t score,” says Matt Burtz. “In league football, that might only get you draws. In tournament football, however, sometimes you can win the whole darn thing (if you’re good at penalties, anyway). As we say here in the U.S. regarding championships, flags fly forever, and it doesn’t matter how you get there.”
I blame Pep Guardiola for turning all into mad, entitled idealists.
“Completely disagree with Charles Antaki, Rob,” says Jimmy Ainsworth. “Morocco don’t play tiki-taka but they do play out from the back and some of their counter attacking play has been marvellous. It is nowhere near unappealing - Poland v Argentina was the most pathetic performance I’ve seen all tournament, and Holland weren’t much better against the Argentina either (save the last 15 minutes of Woutball) - Maroc were streets ahead of both.”
“Greetings from Virginia, Rob,” writes Eagle Brosi. “I have the suspicion that you’re cursed. Every time you do an MBM it seems that the team you are supporting loses. Am I completely off my rocker for thinking this or are living out some sort of Biblical punishment? Either way, can you share who you’re rooting for?”
Scotland, as I have throughout the tournament. (I haven’t really been supporting anyone, though I suppose I wouldn’t have minded seeing Louis van Gaal win the World Cup playing Total Longball.)
Grinch department
Cameroon legend and occasional brawler Samuel Eto’o predicted a France v Morocco semi-final, which surely makes him the best soothsayer since Biff Tannen? Well, yes, until you realise his prediction for the other semi-final was … Cameroon v Senegal.
WILL IT BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY
The France players jog out to warm up, and are greeted with whistles and jeers. The crowd – around 90 per cent Moroccan – will surely be a factor tonight.
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Morocco was under French rule between 1912 and 1956, which adds another layer to tonight’s match. Quite how that layer will manifest, we don’t yet know. The relationship is complicated, not least because a couple of Moroccan players – and their coach Walid Regragui – were born in France. I don’t know enough about the subject to comment on it, and it’s got nothing to do with the fact I’m terrified of saying the wrong thing and being cancelled before kick-off.
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“Would Uruguay in 1950 count as a shock winner?” says Julian Menz. “There have also been ’shock’ finalists… Sweden in 1958 spring to mind.”
True, but not many, and none in the modern era (I don’t count Croatia in 2018 because they were the best team in that half of the draw once it opened up). Uruguay beating Brazil in 1950 was a shock, but – and I know this sounds contradictory – I wouldn’t say they were shock winners. Morocco were 200/1 before the tournament; for them to reach the final, never mind win it, would be unprecedented.
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“I agree with Charles Antaki yet there is a faint whiff of patronising status quo about that commonly held way of thinking,” says Peter Oh. “Morocco play like that not because they lack skill or creativity. They play like that because they have faced some of the most glittering heavyweight attacking football forces ever assembled.
“Football is a game in which 11 players try to kick a spherical object into the net of the other team of 11. May Morocco do so more often than France today.”
How did they do that?
🇫🇷 𝐌𝐁𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄 𝐯 𝐇𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐌𝐈 🇲🇦
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 14, 2022
Teammates, friends, brothers... But tonight, they'll be opponents ⚔️
Team news: Saiss, Aguerd, Mazraoui all start
Great news for Morocco: the captain Romain Saiss, Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui are all fit to start in defence. Well, they start.
Aguerd and Mazraoui replace Yahia Attiyat Allah and Selim Amallah in the only changes from the win over Portugal. That probably means a switch to a back five.
France also make two changes, though theirs are enforced. Youssouf Fofana and Ibrahima Konate replace Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano, who are unwell. I say ‘unwell’; apparently they’ve caught the flu because of all the air conditioning. Upamecano is well enough to be on the bench.
France (4-2-3-1ish) Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Konate, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Fofana; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud.
Substitutes: Pavard, Disasi, Guendouzi, Kolo Muani, Veretout, Mandanda, Saliba, Upamecano, Coman, Areola, Camavinga, Thuram.
Morocco (5-2-3) Bono; Hakimi, El Yamiq, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui; Amrabat, Ounahi; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal.
Substitutes: Hamdallah, Zaroury, Sabiri, El Kajoui, Chair, Aboukhlal, Amallah, Ezzalzouli, Dari, Tagnaouti, El Khannouss, Benoun, Attiat-Allah, Jabrane.
Referee Cesar Arturo Ramos Palazuelos (Mexico)
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“Yes - everything about Morocco being in the semifinals is good. An African nation,” says Charles Antaki. “An Arab nation. A Muslim nation. Sticking two fingers up to colonial powers along the way; resoluteness; togetherness; and, not least, hugging your mother at the end of the game. Or nearly everything: for the neutral, the actual football they play is pretty dismal, or at least let’s say unappealing. It’s not as mind-numbingly ghastly as I recall Greece was back in 2004, but continuous massed defence, plus the occasional recce forward, is not a great watch. But good luck to them, of course.”
I know what you mean, although I would say that – as with Denmark when they won Euro 92 – some of their counter-attacks have been utterly exhilarating.
Jacob Steinberg’s big-match preview
Preamble
And now for something completely different: a World Cup semi-final involving an African team. And an Arab team. Even in a football world full of hot air and hotter takes, it’s very hard to overhype this game: France v Morocco, for a place in the World Cup final. Morocco have already made history, but imagine if they get to the final. Imagine if they win the bugger.
First, a warning: tonight could be a thundering anti-climax. The semi-final is usually where World Cup fairytales end. There have been shock winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, Copa America and European Championship – but never the World Cup, and there haven’t been many unlikely finalists either. The altitude of the semi-finals is usually too great for underdogs. But then the altitude of the quarter-finals was supposed to be too great for African teams.
Morocco – or should that be Morocky - have defied logic, fatigue, injuries and a very harsh draw (they won their group, remember) to reach this stage. They’ve already eliminated the teams ranked 2nd, 7th and 9th in the world; now they just have to take care of 3rd and 4th to complete – no offence, Brian – the greatest achievement in football history.
Like Argentina, they have been inspired by extraordinary support, and that should be a factor again tonight. The subconscious says France will win regardless, but that’s based more on history than the evidence of this tournament. When Greece won Euro 2004, many people confused defensive excellence with luck; we shouldn’t make the same mistake with Morocco.
Morocco’s record this decade looks like that of a Pep Guardiola team: P41 W31 D8 L2 F86 A24. Yes, some of the opposition was relatively weak, but they are a team that is used to success. They have two main concerns tonight, and I’m not talking about Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann. The first is how many of their players have run themselves into the ground against Spain and Portugal; the second is how they will react if they go behind.
That hasn’t happened in the eight games since the remarkable Walid Regragui took over in August, and Morocco are built – both tactically and psychologically – to protect rather than search. But it’s dangerous to make assumptions about their limitations, especially given their extraordinary team spirit. On the evidence of this World Cup, Regragui’s players would crawl to the ends of the earth for him, never mind walk.
I haven’t really spoken about France in this preamble. The main reason is that Morocco are the big story, but it’s also hard to know what to say about a team whose excellence has become so familiar in the last few years. While it hasn’t been plain sailing in Qatar – they still haven’t kept a clean sheet, and it’s easy to forget that they are without at least four of their best XI - they have had the aura of winners from day one.
France are two games away from becoming the first team in 60 years to retain the World Cup, which would mean instant all-time greatness. Three players at different stages of their careers – Mbappe, Griezmann and Olivier Giroud – are strong contenders to win the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball or both.
While this is the biggest game in Morocco’s history, for France it’s just another semi-final – their third since 2016, fourth if you count the Nations League. They won all the others.
Tonight’s winners will play Lionel Messi Team in the final on Sunday. There are two ways this can go: an expected victory for France, or an earthshattering win for Morocco.
Kick off 7pm GMT, 10pm in Al Khor, 8pm in Paris and Rabat.
