3 reasons to believe Morocco will defeat France in the 2022 World Cup’s semifinals

The pride of a team that nobody expected

Except perhaps against Canada (2-1) in the group phase, the Atlas Lions will never have approached, during this World Cup, a match with the status of favourites. Morocco has however defeated Belgium (2-0), Spain (0-0, 3-0 tàb), Portugal (1-0) and secured a draw (0-0) against Croatia, future semi-finalist of the event. Walid Regragui’s team was not expected to be at this level, and this is perhaps what will carry them to the end of this World Cup. The pride of the Moroccans has undeniably given them wings.

A team that seems unshakeable

The Moroccan version of the 2022 World Cup is very similar to France 2018 in the way it approaches its matches: a team that is solid in defence, that accepts to leave the ball to the opponent and to place lightning attacks at the right moment. With an imperial Bounou on his line, an unflappable Aguerd-Saïss hinge (1 goal conceded since the beginning of the competition), the Mazraoui and Hakimi arrows on the wings, two flamboyant playmakers that are Boufal and Ziyech and an unparalleled finisher liek En-Nesyri, emanates, at each line, a hallucinating serenity. The fact that we find this Morocco at this stage of the competition is no coincidence.

 

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

 

Une publication partagée par Équipe du Maroc (@equipedumaroc)

A public devoted to his cause

It will have escaped no one: in Qatar, the Lions play at home, with a diaspora of 13,000 expatriate citizens in the host country of this World Cup 2022, not counting the fans who have travelled for the World Cup. But beyond the Moroccan population, it is the entire Arab world – and the African continent – that will be pushing, this Wednesday, behind Morocco, the first Arab – and African – nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup. It is the first time in history that the World Cup is being played in an Arab country.