France vs Morocco

Reigning World Cup champs France square off with surprise package Morocco in a mouthwatering World Cup semifinal in Qatar.

[they’ve beaten Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds](https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2022/12/11/morocco-vs-portugal-video-highlights-recap-reaction/), showcasing incredible grit, energy and quality as they are the total team unit. As for Morocco, their goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has been exceptional, so too has captain Romain Saiss (who is nursing a hamstring injury) while Achraf Hakimi, Sofiane Boufal and Hakim Ziyech give them real quality in wide areas. The only issue is that France has yet to keep a clean sheet and they do look vulnerable on the counter. They have made history as the first-ever African side to reach the final four and Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann are all stepping up at different moments and the French are gathering momentum. [squeaked past England in the quarterfinals](https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2022/12/11/england-vs-france-recap-final-score-video-highlights-harry-kane-penalty-video-goals/), as Les Bleus have looked shaky defensively but have so much quality in attack.

If Morocco can shackle France's Kylian Mbappe, it will be half the battle won. Advertisement. AFTER THE sweaty victory against England, the French ...

A big part of it would be to contain Mbappe, make him settle for bad numbers (by his standards) as he had against England and hope he heaves the ball into the distance rather than to the back of the net. Their prime focus was not on Kovacic and Modric, but Brozovic, to prevent him from enjoying too many touches in the midfield, to deny him the opportunity to carry the ball upfield. The first line of defence started with Youssef En-Nesyri, behind him were Azzedine Ounahi and Selim Amallah, tightly holding onto Modric and Kovacic. Almost all of the front five could play-make as well as score; even the defensive midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni could; so could Theo Hernandez, and Rafael Varane. The latter has clocked 35 kmph, the former 35.3 kmph, and together form the fastest pair in this World Cup. Then, as they strolled back to the tunnel, a football bounced onto the turf and fell in the path of Kylian Mbappe. They constricted the hat-trick hero Goncalo Ramos, the most direct of goal-scoring threats, like a python would its prey. There are multiple layers that make the game intriguing and fascinating. Among the four survivors, France has scored the most number of goals (11). Even the usually deadpan-faced Deschamps broke into peals of laughter. The numbers were put forth to manager Didier Deschamps. But so wayward was the strike that it blew somewhere into the distant stands.

France and Morocco meet in the second semifinal of the 2022 World Cup on Dec. 14. Here's what you need to know about the match.

Winning the 2018 World Cup made him the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager. He has taken Morocco further than anyone imagined at this World Cup and thinks the team can still give more. It has averaged 32% possession in its five World Cup matches, the second-lowest of any team. This strategy has worked due to its near-impenetrable defense and the ability to counter-attack at pace with the dribbling skills of wingers Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal. It was effective against England and a similar approach worked at the World Cup in Russia four years ago. It showed this against England, which had 58% possession and twice as many shots as the World Cup holder. Changing the players has not changed the script – Morocco’s defense is very hard to break. The defense has also had to adapt. For a confidence boost, Hakimi should look no further than Mbappé, who described the Moroccan as the “best RB (right-back) in the world” in a January [tweet](https://twitter.com/KMbappe/status/1486074687838949379). Reigning champion France is aiming to become the first country to win back-to-back men’s World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. It is the outsider for this match but remains unbeaten, having secured against-the-odds wins over Spain and Portugal in the knockout stage. [keeping Mbappé quiet in the quarterfinal](https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertkidd/2022/12/09/world-cup-2022-quarter-final-stop-kylian-mbapp-and-england-has-hope-against-france/), with France relying on goals from Aurélien Tchouaméni and Olivier Giroud for the 2-1 victory.

Morocco have become the first ever African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final following their victory against Portugal. They come up against reigning ...

We lost a lot of players before the World Cup. Of course, there is another tie to be played in the semi-final round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. You can play our Opta Challenge game for a chance to win $500. Morocco have become the first ever African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final following their victory against Portugal. It’s not a surprise now because we’ve seen them put in a number of top performances. “We can be satisfied with what we’ve done so far, even though we want to go further. “It’s a historic achievement. “It’s fantastic what [coach Walid Regragui] has achieved,” he added. Once again, Morocco are unlikely to have most of the ball, so the combativeness of players like Azzedine Ounahi and Amrabat in midfield could be key, particularly with Griezmann so influential in his new midfield position. We lost Amine [Harit], [Imran] Louza, [Adam] Masina… “Morocco have played and beaten some of the best teams in the world, and that’s down to the players, the coach, the staff. “We’ve got to the semis, closer to the final, and this was an important achievement, so we can believe in ourselves, but we have a big game on Wednesday,” he said.

Everything you need to know ahead of the 2022 World Cup semi-final clash between France and Morocco.

[Kylian Mbappe](https://theathletic.com/football/player/kylian-mbappe-vqEQPtKAKLluodtc/) was in his coming-of-age performance against Argentina four years ago, a deeper dive into Africa’s most successful World Cup and Ziyech’s Morocco redemption are on the menu ahead of this one. [Hakim Ziyech](https://theathletic.com/football/player/hakim-ziyech-wnxSjcAC5t7f1pHr/) was withdrawn with an issue in the latter stages but he should be fine to start against France. Meanwhile, Morocco are chasing more history for the continent of Africa. They are the first African side in World Cup history to reach the last four. Since 1998, they have reached football’s showpiece event on three occasions and will be targeting a fourth on Wednesday. After stopping Luis Enrique’s side from scoring throughout 120 minutes, the north Africans won 3-0 on penalties. Then came their toughest test and a game that should’ve probably been a semi-final or even the final, against England. Two wins from their opening two games saw them reach the knockouts with a game to spare before Deschamps’ second-string team were beaten by However, Walid Regragui revealed that none of his players are definitely ruled out for the semi-final. There are no real notable decisions for him to make as each of his players have done the jobs asked of them so far. Coverage will be shown on the BBC. Cesar Ramos has been confirmed as the match referee.

Morocco boss Walid Regragui reveals he has not come up with a specific plan to stop Kylian Mbappe.

"I don't know if it will be enough but we want Africa to be on top of the world. We are getting closer to our dreams and we will fight to get there. We are hungry. Before every match people thought we would get knocked out but we are still here. We want to go further. If we say the semi-final is enough, I don't agree.

France face Morocco on Wednesday in the second of the FIFA 2022 World Cup semifinals. The Atlas Lions have already made history as the first African and ...

We want to reach the final and to win it. Advantage France who have a settled XI with key players in form and experience at this juncture of a World Cup. To say that we are satisfied to reach the semis does us a disservice. We will leave it as long as possible before making a call." Should the AC Milan man score again here, he will become the oldest player in World Cup history to score five times in this tournament. Whether it is against the French or against Brazil, all I want to do is qualify. We are hungry, of course, but we must be strong to advance. We will continue to do what we know best and aim to pull off a surprise. Before or after a match, despite any history and passion, I like my players to know their place as I expect the same of myself." The Moroccans have been the surprise package in Qatar and are very much the underdogs against the defending champions who are chasing their third title and only the third successful title defense in the tournament's history. "We will be up against the world champions with a top level coach -- the best in the world. The Atlas Lions have already made history as the first African and Arab country to reach this point while Les Bleus are looking to reach back-to-back finals.

Ahead of Wednesday's World Cup semi-final clash between France and Morocco, Sports Mole looks at the head-to-head record between the two sides.

[Click here to read our full preview for France vs Morocco](/football/france/world-cup-2022/preview/preview-france-vs-morocco-prediction-team-news-lineups_501786.html) [How France could line up against Morocco](/football/france/world-cup-2022/predicted-lineups/how-france-could-line-up-against-morocco_501787.html) [How Morocco could line up against France](/football/morocco/world-cup-2022/predicted-lineups/how-morocco-could-line-up-against-france_501788.html) [World Cup 2022: Reasons for France to be confident of beating Morocco](/football/france/world-cup-2022/feature/world-cup-2022-reasons-for-france-to-be-confident-of-beating-morocco_501889.html) [World Cup 2022: Reasons for Morocco to be confident of beating France](/football/france/world-cup-2022/feature/world-cup-2022-reasons-for-morocco-to-be-confident-of-beating-france_501890.html) [World Cup 2022: Why to expect Mbappe to score against Morocco](/football/france/world-cup-2022/feature/world-cup-2022-why-to-expect-mbappe-to-score-against-morocco_501892.html) September 4, 1975: France 1-1 Morocco (Mediterranean Games) [World Cup](/football/world-cup/) final, [Morocco](/football/morocco/) take on reigning champions [France](/football/france/) in Wednesday's semi-final at the Al Bayt Stadium.

SportsLine's soccer model simulated France vs. Morocco and locked in its 2022 FIFA World Cup picks and predictions for Wednesday's semifinal.

- France vs. France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup? And which side has all the value? Hakimi is the World Cup leader with 17 tackles, and Mazraoui is tied for fourth with 13. The 31-year-old has 29 clean sheets in 48 career starts for Morocco and has a 75.6 save percentage in six seasons in Spain's La Liga, the past four with Sevilla. Midfielder Antoine Griezmann also has been a critical piece as a box-to-box player, and he is third all-time in for France with 42 goals and has 26 assists. [2022 World Cup picks](https://www.sportsline.com/fifa-wc/picks/) and predictions. France are the -185 favorites (risk $185 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in the latest France vs. Les Bleus eked out a 2-1 victory against France on Saturday to make the semifinal for the third time in their past six World Cup appearances. The model was accurate on 56% of all picks during the Champions League group stage and returned more than $1,000 to $100 bettors on its A+ picks. A draw is priced at +295 and the over/under for total goals is set at 2.5. France remain on track to defend their title, but upstart Morocco have other plans as the teams get set to meet in a 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinal on Wednesday.

Find a France vs Morocco live stream for how to watch this semi-final clash at Qatar 2022 in the UK, US, Canada and anywhere in the world.

As in the UK, coverage of the World Cup 2022 is entirely free to air. Conor Pope is the Online Editor of FourFourTwo, overseeing all digital content, and joined the team in February 2019. [TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/uk) (opens in new tab) love its super speedy connections, trustworthy security and the fact it works with Android, Apple, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, PS4 and loads more. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and t'internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are and won't automatically block the service you've paid for. You will receive a verification email shortly. You'll be blocked from watching it, which is not ideal if you’ve paid up for a subscription and still want to catch the action without resorting to illegal feeds you’ve found on Reddit. Paid provider Sky Sports are the World Cup 2022 rights holders in New Zealand. You can also watch the games on Peacock TV with Spanish commentary. Go get it! There is also a 7-day free trial. Games are on Fox or FS1 cable channels. [Use a VPN to watch World Cup 2022 free](https://go.expressvpn.com/c/221109/1330033/16063?subId1=fourfourtwo-gb-1955735290952153300&sharedId=fourfourtwo-gb&u=https%3A%2F%2Fexpressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Ffifa-world-cup%3Fa_fid%3D744) (opens in new tab) from anywhere.

The defending champions are big favourites against their African opponents and Les Bleus should be backed for the victory.

Morocco (+650) Back France to win this match in a shutout. Morocco have yet to have an opposing player score against them in the entire tournament, with the only goal they conceded being an own goal in their match against Canada. Under 2.5 (-165) France beat European-rival England in the quarter-finals and are now the favorites to lift the cup this year. Draw (+270)

France is a betting favorite against Morocco on Wednesday in the 2022 World Cup, with a tie listed at +240. Sports betting sites also have props.

Which team will go on to play Argentina in the final?

For Spanish-speaking US residents Peacock is airing all of the World Cup games live in Spanish. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If you're away from home in the UK, you can use a VPN like ExpressVPN to watch BBC iPlayer or ITVX (formerly ITV Hub) from anywhere. Note that Sling is currently running a promotion where the first month of service is half-price ($20) for new subscribers. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions. If you find yourself unable to view the match locally, that's where using a VPN can come in handy. Morocco is in the World Cup semifinals. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. The loser will face Croatia in the third-place game on Saturday, Dec. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. The winner will play Argentina in the World Cup Final on Sunday, Dec. There is an option that doesn't require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a [VPN](/tech/services-and-software/best-vpn/), or virtual private network.

The 2018 world champs will face the stand-out team of the tournament for a place in the final. Will there be another upset?

But before going this far, they also finished the group stage in style, grabbing Group F’s top spot after defeating Belgium and Canada and drawing against Croatia. The draw is being paid at 5/2 (3.5). The odds suggest France is the nation with the better chance of qualifying for the semifinals, as the bookmakers consider Deschamps’ side has lots of talented players in all of their lines and with experience in Europe’s top leagues. That’s how far France and Morocco are from glory, as both nations have made it to the World Cup semifinals and will now battle it out for a spot in the last round of the tournament. Didier Deschamps, who won the tournament as a player in 1998, will try to carry France to victory, something Les Coqs have done in the last three semifinals they played in 1998, 2006, and 2018. Will there be another upset?

SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green locked in his 2022 World Cup picks and predictions for Morocco vs. France in Wednesday's semifinal match.

- France vs. Green has broken down this semifinal from every angle. Les Bleus have not kept a single clean sheet at the tournament, and the defense looked very shaky in the quarterfinal against England. They also have won more tackles (104 to 98) and interceptions (51 to 49) and have conceded fewer shots outside the box (16 to 20). Filling in for the injured N'Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba, the 22-year-old Tchouameni has played a team-high 411 minutes and has completed a tournament-high 93.2% of his passes. Les Bleus have the offensive firepower to unlock the Moroccan defense. France are the -180 favorite (risk $180 to win $100) in the latest France vs. [You can head to SportsLine now to see Green's picks](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/2022-world-cup-france-vs-morocco-odds-picks-predictions-best-bets-for-wednesdays-semifinal-from-proven-soccer-expert/#ttag=12122022_agg_cbssports_picks_soccer_worldcup_martingreen_FranceMorocco). [2022 World Cup picks](https://www.sportsline.com/fifa-wc/picks/) and predictions. After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Reigning World Cup champion France can return to the World Cup final for the second straight tournament when Les Bleus square off against Morocco in a semifinal at the 2022 World Cup on Wednesday. Before you lock in your Morocco vs.

FIFA World Cup 2022: France, after beating England 2-1, will meet Morocco that defeated Portugal 1-0.

We've picked out a tasty 11/8 France vs Morocco prediction ahead of Wednesday's second semi-final final in the Al Bayt Stadium.

Given the quality of their attacking options, back France to be leading at half time and full time, which is a tasty 11/8 with Betfred. Morocco are sweating on the fitness of key cenrte-back and captain Romain Saiss who was stretchered off after 57 minutes on Saturday. [Betfred](https://promotions.betfred.com/#/affiliates/sports/football/world-cup-2022/bet-10-get-60?&siteid=104967&referrer=&click=414889388) It really is going to take something special to break this Morrocan defence down but in Kylian Mbappe, they face the most special of attacking talents. [France/France (HT/FT) - 11/8](https://promotions.betfred.com/#/affiliates/sports/football/world-cup-2022/bet-10-get-60?&siteid=104967&referrer=&click=414889388) So, too, do the bookmakers who make Les Blues just 8/15 (with

Morocco plays France in the semi-finals of the Fifa World Cup today. What you may not know is that the two countries share a complex relationship; ...

In this way, “brain drain” is arguably one of the most pernicious outcomes of colonialism and a foremost neocolonial process. In doing so, it has attained a symbolic victory over the neocolonial process of “brain drain”. Yet, behind the heartwarming story of Guinean Paul Pogba scoring for France in the World Cup final, or Malian N’golo Kante running the French midfield, hides the story of how African nations failed to gain from the talents of their most talented players. The fact that all these players are playing for Morocco, instead of the countries they/their parents migrated to, is in itself a victory. With French education also came ideas of liberty and equality, both of which were missing in the seemingly peaceful and picturesque French colony. Conditions created under colonial rule as well as the world capitalist economy that continues to divide the world into a Global North and South on erstwhile colonial lines, are what drive migration across many ex-colonies. However, the contours of Morocco’s relationship with France in many ways reproduces old colonial hierarchies. Today, an estimated five million Moroccans live abroad, with the majority of the diaspora being located in Europe, especially in France. However, France did not touch the old cities of Morocco which were spiritual and cultural nerve centres for the population. The Atlas mountains run through its length, giving the Moroccan football team its moniker of “Atlas Lions.” However, today, the West’s (and perhaps the rest of the world’s) imagination of Morocco is intimately tied to its romantic depiction in the ageless classic “Casablanca”, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Between 1912 and 1956, most of modern day Morocco was [a French colony](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/france-vs-morocco-colonial-history-makes-it-more-than-a-football-match-8323124/).

France are favourites by a mile, but for Morocco, they're just another giant to slay.

Watched by quite possibly billions of people, the World Cup final will be held on Sunday, Qatar’s national day, at Lusail Stadium. The winners, however, go on to sport’s biggest event. When in possession, they’ll be hoping to put the ball at the feet of Achraf Hakimi, Mbappe’s teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, to see if the star pairing can make a little more magic for Morocco. [Giroud](/news/2022/12/4/olivier-giroud-scores-52nd-goal-to-break-henrys-france-record) brings the calm experience to the attacking line; a wise head that the veteran can still use to devastating effect. Head coach Didier Deschamps is one of only three men to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a manager. Morocco’s coach Walid Regragui on Tuesday made clear that his side were going to try their best to pull off [another “upset”](/news/2022/12/13/morocco-manager-confident-hopes-to-upset-france-in-semifinal) in their fairytale run.

Despite the deeply entrenched socio-political connections -- Morocco was a French protectorate just a century ago -- the two sides have barely played ...

In a friendly in 1998, Morocco prevailed over France in a penalty shootout. Their first meeting came in 1988 when France beat Morocco 2-1. In the second half, Samir Nasri gave France a 2-1 lead, but a late goal by Youssef Mokhtari forced the match to end in a 2-2 draw.

Here are three key battles that can happen in the France vs Morocco FIFA World Cup semifinal match at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Quick with his feet, Boufal possesses the ability to take on defenders and beat them. A hard tackler, he will surely be a hindrance for Griezmann, who might not be able to enjoy his free role in midfield. Hakimi is a pacy full-back, but he will be tested to his limits against Mbappe. Amrabat has made an astounding 41 recoveries till now, which is statistical proof of his tackling efficiency and his solidity in midfield. However, the Atlas Lions defied the odds and became the first African team to qualify for the semifinals in the tournament’s history. That means the PSG teammates will be in direct battles throughout the semifinal match.

Al Jazeera's AI robot Kashef has crunched the numbers and has some predictions for today's game.

Should manager Walid Regragui’s side do so, they have a 31 percent chance of lifting the trophy against Argentina at Lusail Stadium on December 18. With 61 matches completed, Kashef has a 67 percent accuracy level. Prediction: Sizing up all the odds, Kashef has once again concluded that Morocco face an uphill battle.

France take on Morocco at the Al Bayt Stadium in the World Cup 2022 semi-final. Theo Hernandez scored for France. El Yamiq overhead kick.

Mazraoui has a hip injury and Saiss wasn’t able to train fully in the week. It was Lewandowski’s Poland that faced France in the Round of 16. The European side beat the Socceroos 4-1 in their opening game of the tournament and then defeated Denmark 2-1 a few days later. Check out what makes Mbappé and Hakimi's friendship so special and how they are going to have to forget niceties as they go up against each other in the World Cup semi-final. 13,000 free tickets and 30 flights have been handed out to Moroccan fans so they can make the Al Bayt stadium a cauldron of noise! A lovely touch around the corner from the Atlético Madrid man opens the play and France go from left to right in an instant. He was in charge of Wydad last season and led them to their third CAF Champions League title before taking over the Morocco national side on 31 August. and to that list could probably already be added coach of the national team Walid Regragui. France have now dropped off them and are sitting on the halfway line. Bono and his team are also trying to find holes in the French system, but they still haven't found... Messi has the weight of a nation on his shoulders, and he's never looked more comfortable. Konaté comes in a hacks the ball away.

FIFA World Cup 2022 Semi-Final Live Score: France play Morocco in the semi-finals at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor in the World Cup.

An early Theo Hernandez goal put Les Bleus in the lead, thanks to a defensive error, and they stayed strong at the back to keep their sheet clean. Towards the end of the first half, and in the beginning of the second, Morocco knocked on the door and created some trouble in the French area, but a late second goal from substitute Randal Kolo Muani, after brilliant work from Kylian Mbappe, ended Morocco’s dream run. [defeated Morocco 2-0](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/france-set-up-date-with-argentina-in-the-final-after-defeating-morocco-2-0-8325126/) to set up the final against Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Join us as Ousmane Dembele and Jules Kounde's Les Bleus look to end the Moroccan dream and reach the Final!

They are incredibly well coached and their most talented players have delivered in every big moment in Qatar, and there is no reason to believe they can’t do it one more time against the champs. Hernandez 5’): FRANCE TAKE THE LEAD! And this memorable World Cup filled with upsets could be in line for one more as defending champions France take on Morocco. Thuram finds Mbappé inside the box and after a series of moves his shot is deflected by a defender and Kolo Muani is quickest to the ball at the far post and fires it home! This one is definitely not over at the break, and the second half should be fun. France 2-0 Morocco (Muani 79’): FRANCE DOUBLE THE LEAD!

Defending world champions end Morocco's World Cup dreams and book their place in the final.

His shot bounced off Abde Ezzalzouli into the path of Muani, who tapped it in. Mbappe managed to pick up a loose Moroccan pass in midfield, bringing it into a congested Moroccan box. It was the first goal Morocco had conceded to an opposition player at the World Cup in Qatar. At the break, France were ahead but Morocco’s Atlas Lions were the ones roaring. Hakim Ziyech shot wide in the 15th minute after a sweet breakaway from Morocco’s box. This was comfortably dealt with by Lloris but gave the Moroccans a sense of momentum.