Three years ago in Qatar, France sent Morocco home in the semi finals with a 2-0 win that felt more comfortable than the scoreline suggested. Morocco have spent every match of this tournament reminding the world they're not interested in being a footnote twice.
At Gillette Stadium on 9 July these two meet again in the quarter finals and it's a better contest on paper than the 2022 version. France are still the favourites, having won all five of their games scoring 14 and conceding two but Morocco arrive unbeaten and noticeably more dangerous in attack under new coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who took over in March 2026 after leading their youth teams to the U20 World Cup title in 2025. Didier Deschamps has managed France since 2012 and will hand the reins to Zinedine Zidane after the tournament ends, giving the whole thing a slightly elegiac quality whether France win or not.
France's path has been straightforward: wins over Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0, Norway 4-1, Sweden 3-0 and Paraguay 1-0, mostly dominant, though the Paraguay result required some actual work. Morocco's route has been more varied, drawing 1-1 with Brazil, beating Scotland 1-0, hammering Haiti 4-2, drawing 1-1 with the Netherlands and finishing the group stage with a 3-0 win over Canada, absorbing pressure, playing from behind and coming through. That is a more useful template for knockout football than five comfortable victories.
France have Eduardo Camavinga and Hugo Ekitike missing through injury and William Saliba came into the tournament managing a back concern that hasn't troubled him since. The expected lineup has Maignan behind Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba and Digne, with Rabiot and Tchouameni in midfield and Olise, Dembele and Doue behind Mbappe. Morocco's situation is considerably more precarious, with Ismael Saibari, their top scorer, rated a serious doubt after limping off against Canada with a hamstring problem, while Nayef Aguerd and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli withdrew earlier in the tournament and Noussair Mazraoui is managing a shoulder issue. Their likely XI: Bounou, Hakimi, Diop, Halhal, Mazraoui, El Aynaoui, Bouaddi, Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss.
France press high, dominate possession and look to spring Mbappe, who has seven tournament goals, in behind, with Olise as the main creative force and Dembele a direct threat on the opposite flank. Morocco are recognisably the same team from 2022 but there's more happening in the final third now: Ounahi drives forward from midfield, Hakimi attacks from right back, Brahim Diaz drops between the lines to combine with runners ahead of him and Bounou has been outstanding in goal throughout the tournament.
The most interesting individual matchup is Mbappe against Hakimi, his PSG club teammate and it should be genuinely uncomfortable for both of them. Hakimi knows exactly how Mbappe wants to run in behind, Mbappe knows exactly how Hakimi likes to advance. That familiarity is as likely to breed caution as it is to produce anything spectacular.
France are the better team on paper and Saibari's injury tips things further in their direction. But Morocco are exactly the kind of side that makes favourites look awkward. They defend deep and compact and when Hakimi gets forward and Ounahi wins second balls in the middle third, they can hurt teams on the break. The 2022 meeting was never as open as France's dominance implied and with Brahim Diaz and Ounahi giving Morocco genuine threat in the final third this time, a 1-1 draw feels right.
France 1-1 Morocco.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
