England and Portugal supporters won’t agree, but what a Fifa World Cup semi-final we have to look forward to at the Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday evening. In the blue, white and red corner you have France, the reigning champions, while in the red and green corner you have Morocco, the underdogs and first African nation to ever reach the final four of a World Cup.
Didier Deschamps’s Les Bleus will go into the match as favourites, but Morocco’s superb victories over Belgium in group F, Spain in the round of 16 and Portugal in the last eight will give them huge confidence of causing another major upset against Kylian Mbappé and Co.
“Marvellous” Morocco have “lit up” this World Cup, said Shamoon Hafez on BBC Sport. Roared on by many fans in Qatar, they’re not just the first African side to reach the semi-finals, but also the “first Arab one from a country with a Muslim majority”. The “history makers” are now just one win from football’s showpiece fixture.
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Head coach Walid Regragui has mastermind the Atlas Lions’s incredible run and he believes they are becoming a team everyone “loves” because they are showing what can be achieved. “It is not a miracle – those in Europe might say it is, but we have beaten Portugal, Spain, Belgium and drawn against Croatia without conceding,” Regragui said. “That is the result of hard work. African and Arab teams work hard but we have made our people happy and proud. The whole continent is proud. When you watch Rocky Balboa, you want to support him and we are the Rocky of this World Cup.”
Morocco players and staff celebrate their 1-0 quarter-final win over Portugal
(Image credit: ANP via Getty Images)
Lloris expects ‘hostile’ atmosphere
Morocco’s run to the World Cup final four has the potential to “galvanise” football in Africa, said Veron Mosengo-Omba, general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf). However, he told BBC Sport Africa that “dreaming” is not enough for the continent, and there needs to be more “long-term efforts”. Morocco have shown that “it is possible for Africa to shortly have more teams in the World Cup semi-final, and even in the final”, Mosengo-Omba added. But “galvanising and dreaming” is “not enough” to grow the game and make African football “more competitive” to win the World Cup. “It needs concrete actions and long-term efforts.”
Now one step from the final, Morocco and their fans will provide tough opposition for the holders at the Al Bayt Stadium. France captain Hugo Lloris is expecting a “hostile atmosphere” inside the stadium, but Les Bleus are “ready” for anything. “Obviously, it is already a success for Morocco – but, believe me, they won’t want to stop here,” said the French goalkeeper. “They want to become even more of a hero for their country. We prepare to respond to the demands of a semi-final of a World Cup – it doesn’t matter the opponent.”
The winners of Wednesday’s semi-final will go on to face Argentina in the 2022 Fifa World Cup final on Sunday at the Lusail Stadium.
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Match facts
Who: France vs. Morocco
What: Fifa World Cup semi-final
When: Wednesday 14 December 2022
Where: Al Bayt Stadium
Kick-off time: 7pm (all times GMT)
How to watch on TV in the UK
Wednesday’s semi-final clash between France and Morocco will be shown live in the UK on BBC One and iPlayer. TV coverage begins at 6.30pm and the match kicks off at 7pm.
Olivier Giroud scored France’s winning goal against England
(Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Team news
French boss Deschamps does not have any suspension worries for the semi-final. It also did not appear that any of his players picked up injuries in the quarter-final win over England. He could name the same starting XI for the third match in a row.
Morocco striker Walid Cheddira was sent off for a second yellow card in the win over Portugal and will miss the semi-final because of suspension. The Atlas Lions could have some injury concerns in defence after captain Romain Saiss was stretchered off with a thigh injury against Portugal. Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui are also doubtful after missing the quarter-final win.
Possible starting XIs
France: Hugo Lloris; Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe; Olivier Giroud
France don’t play “dazzling football”, but they are “good to watch” because they have got “so many eye-catching players”, said Chris Sutton on BBC Sport. It is that “quality in attack” that should “make the difference” in this game as well. I am backing France to “score first and see it through”. Morocco will score, and they will “rely on adrenaline as much as their quality”, but I fear this will be “a game too far” for them. “I would love to be wrong, just because the African side have arguably been the best story of this World Cup, but this is probably where they say goodbye.” Prediction: France 2 Morocco 1.
Morocco’s “fitness troubles in the rearguard” will “surely spell the end” of their clean sheet streak, and likely their inspirational World Cup run, said Ben Knapton on SportsMole. Walid Regragui’s “wounded warriors” may very well try to rush themselves back for what could be a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”, and France will “no doubt take advantage”, so a second successive final should be on the menu for Les Bleus. Prediction: France 2 Morocco 0.
It won’t come as a “huge shock” to learn Les Bleus are the “clear favourites” with the Opta match prediction model ahead of kick-off, said Ryan Benson on Opta Analyst. The “supercomputer” reckons Deschamps’ men have a “64.3% chance” of winning in normal time. Morocco, of course, “already defied the odds to get this far”, though their “13% likelihood of victory” is a reduction from 18.8% ahead of the Portugal game. “The draw and extra time is rated at 22.7%, and the Atlas Lions would presumably take that in a heartbeat.”
France, who may have the “most potent attack” of all the teams left in the competition, are favourites for the game, but they “must not underestimate their opponents”, who have already exceeded expectations, said Soyoye Jedidiah on SportsKeeda. Morocco’s “resolute” defence has been “key to their exploits” on the global stage, but the Africans “could fall to a superior side”. Prediction: France 2 Morocco 1.
It has been a “monumental effort” from Morocco, but this looks like it could be “one match too far for them”, particularly with a squad that is “now increasingly stretched”, said Matt Verri in the London Evening Standard. France have shown they “do not have to be at their best to get the job done” in the tournament, and they look set to reach a second World Cup final in a row. Prediction: France to win 2-0.
It is going to be “brutally difficult” for France to break Morocco down, “that much is clear”, said Kyle Bonn on Sporting News. At the risk of “doubting Morocco a third time”, it’s tough to imagine the Atlas Lions advancing to the World Cup final. An early goal will be “key” for France here, as the “longer they go without scoring”, the more “panic will set in and the more Morocco will grow in belief”. Prediction: France 1 Morocco 0.
As we have seen, Morocco “are not to be underestimated”, said Joe Brennan in AS. However, France have “so much firepower” together with a strong defence and “should be too much for the African side to make their way to the final”.
The stadium
This will be the ninth and last World Cup match played at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. The design of the stadium, which also hosted the England vs. France quarter-final, is inspired by the tents historically used in the Gulf region.
Squads
France
Head coach: Didier Deschamps
Key player: Kylian Mbappe
One to watch: Aurelien Tchouameni
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Rennes)
Defenders: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Manchester United), Axel Disasi (Monaco)
Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.
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