World Cup Semi-Final Preview: France v Morocco

“First they came for Spain, and I said nothing for I am not Spanish. Then they came for Portugal, and I said nothing for I am not Portuguese. Then they came for France, and there was no one left to save us.” -Kylian Mbappe (maybe)

Morocco has been on a tear this World Cup, taking down European soccer powerhouses left and right. The highest achieving African nation in World Cup history now has their eyes set on the reigning champions, France. This matchup, with tons of historical and political background, is sure to get the pulses racing. 

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France:

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The World Cup curse was the stuff of legend. Each reigning world champion since the 2002 iteration of the tournament had failed to make it out of the group stage. The first nation to start this horrid run was France. Now, 20 years later, Les Bleus have broken the curse and are on the cusp of returning to the final and becoming the first back-to-back champions since Brazil all the way back in 1958 and ‘62. 

The French are led by their young starlet, Kylian Mbappe. The breakout star of the 2018 World Cup has only gotten better since he arrived on the world stage as a teenager. He leads this French team with 5 goals and 2 assists in 5 games and is always a threat, with and without the ball. There is something special about watching Kylian Mbappe play for France, as opposed to PSG, that just makes you root for him. The unbridled joy he plays with on the pitch is simply mesmerizing. The 23 year old already has more World Cup goals than Cristiano Ronaldo and could be well on his way to breaking the record down the road.

Surrounding the dynamic forward is a supporting cast of world class talent. Antoine Greizmann is the definition of a national team player. A former La Liga star, the 31 year old always elevates his game when playing for France. On the opposite wing of Mbappe is arguably an equally shifty winger in Ousmane Dembele who is a nightmare to defend against one-on-one. Through the middle of the pitch is the savvy veteran striker Olivier Giroud who owns the French record for most goals scored, passing Thierry Henry earlier this tournament. The most impressive part of this French attack is that they are averaging just over 2 goals per game without Karim Benzema, the current Ballon d’Or winner who is out with injury. 

The French midfield is vastly different from the 2018 World Cup version. Injuries to Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante have forced manager Didier Deschamps to play young stars like Aurelien Tchouameni, who scored an absolute banger of a goal in the quarter-finals against England. Former national team outcast Adrien Rabiot has started alongside the 22 year old Real Madrid player, but he enters this match questionable with illness. If he is unable to go, look for Tchouameni’s club teammate, the 20 year old Eduardo Camavinga, to slot in.

The French backline in 2022 is no Maginot Line. Raphael Varane is the leader at centerback once again and can partner with any young center half Deschamps decides to play with him. It has mostly been Dayot Upamecano, but with him also questionable due to illness you could see Ibrahima Konate instead. In the opening minutes of the tournament the French lost Lucas Hernandez to a torn ACL on that famous Australian goal, but his brother, Theo, has been a seamless replacement. 

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Morocco:

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There is a famous saying in American sports that defense wins championships. I guess Morocco is putting that saying to the test in this tournament. The North African nation has the best defensive record of any team in the tournament, allowing just 1 goal (to Canada of all nations). A big reason for the slew of clean sheets has been the play of goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, or Bono for short. Bono made 3 stops in the win over Portugal and had several saves in the penalty shootout victory over Spain.

The Moroccan defense is anchored by Romain Saiss, their leader at centerback. The lesser known Jawad El Yamiq has also been strong in partnership with Saiss in a back 4. The most notable player on the backend for Morocco is Achraf Hakimi. The right back is a world class talent who currently plays alongside Mbappe at PSG. In fact, these two will go head-to-head today quite often. Hakimi is most dangerous going forward, where his elite speed and ability on the ball make him a threat at all times.

One of the many breakout stars of this tournament is Moroccan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat. The 26 year old currently plays for Fiorentina in Serie A but has elevated his play so much at the World Cup that clubs like Liverpool are interested in him. He controls the middle of the pitch in their 4-3-3 formation and how he slows down France’s speed on the counter attack will be crucial to Morocco's chances. 

In attack there are several notable players for Morocco who can contribute. Youssef En-Nesyri plays through the middle and has long been a goal scorer at the high levels of European club football. To his right is the Chelsea man Hakim Ziyech who was once ostracized from the national team but has come back at this World Cup and really played quite well. The final member of the front 3 for Morocco is Sofiane Boufal, who has had a fantastic tournament, really rejuvenating his career.

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Breakdown:

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This is, without a doubt, a mismatch on paper. But as they say, there is a reason these games aren’t played on paper. Morocco knows how to handle the underdog role, they have done it all tournament. At the same time France knows how to handle the pressure of being favorites and backing up their title from 4 years ago. The Moroccan goal for this game is simple, keep it at 0-0 for as long as possible. However, for as good as their defensive record has been, they have oftentimes struggled to score goals. If France gets an early first half lead, I do not see a way for the Arab nation to come back. 

One of the key x-factors in this semi-final will be the crowd. Morocco is expected to dominate the overall number of fans in the stadium. Home field advantage matters a lot in soccer. That level of noise and passion can often lift up an underdog and give them extra energy. All the players on the pitch are professionals, but with the pre-tournament injuries France has suffered, can the young replacements handle the pressure that comes with the noise? 

The French will in all likelihood move on, setting up a Messi versus Mbappe final, something the Qatari owners of PSG have surely been dreaming of. How close this semi-final ends up being is entirely up to the players on the pitch.

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The Pick:

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The Bet: France to Win and Keep a Clean Sheet

Prediction: France 2-0 Morocco

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