The French national team has secured its place in the final four of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a commanding 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Morocco at the Gillette Stadium in Boston. This milestone marks the third consecutive time Les Bleus have reached the World Cup semifinals, a historic feat previously achieved only by football powerhouses Germany and Brazil. Despite a resilient Moroccan defensive display, the attacking prowess of Didier Deschamps" side ultimately overwhelmed the Atlas Lions.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The match remained deadlocked during the first half, largely due to a stellar performance from Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. According to match data, France dominated possession and saw a brilliant 25-yard strike from Lucas Digne crash off the crossbar. The definitive turning point arrived when Kylian Mbappé earned a penalty after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui. Although Bounou remarkably saved Mbappé's initial spot-kick, the French captain broke the deadlock in the second half with a superb enroulé finish into the bottom corner.
Shortly after the opening goal, the clinical French frontline doubled their advantage. Following a strategic counter-attack orchestrated by Mbappé, winger Ousmane Dembélé executed a swift run, capitalized on an open lane, and precisely slotted the ball past Bounou to make it 2-0. Speaking after the game, Dembélé expressed his joy, stating, "We are very happy. To be in the final four, a third consecutive semifinal in the World Cup with the French team, is exceptional. We will keep this concentration to go all the way."
Despite the victory, minor concerns emerged when Mbappé sustained a late ankle injury following a robust challenge from Morocco's Issa Diop, which forced him to be substituted for Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 77th minute. The superstar forward quickly downplayed the severity of the knock, remarking, "I took a blow to the ankle but I am fine." Team manager Didier Deschamps also reassured fans that the substitution was a precautionary measure, noting that the medical staff will closely monitor the captain's recovery ahead of Tuesday's semifinal.
Based on reports from the Moroccan camp, caretaker manager Mohamed Ouahbi conceded that his squad faced an elite opponent but remained optimistic about the future of Moroccan football. "We must recognize that we played against a very good team," Ouahbi said. "We suffered a lot in the first half. We are very disappointed, we wanted more, but we must accept it. If we continue like this, the future will be beautiful."
From editorial team observations, France's balanced combination of experienced leaders like Rabiot and Dembélé with emerging young talents has made them formidable favorites to lift the trophy. The reigning vice-champions will now travel to Los Angeles to face Spain in what promises to be a spectacular semifinal showdown on Tuesday.