They’ve been unofficially crowned ‘the world’s team’. Now underdogs Morocco have the job of taking down world champions France in the semi-finals of the World Cup. Given they’re the first African side to do so, just reaching this stage is a monumental achievement, but there’s an underlying feeling that they are just two games away from immortality.
They’ve already knocked out Spain and Portugal, but there is no doubt that France provide the toughest test so far. Didier Deschamps’ men dumped out England in the quarter-finals and the strength of the opposition isn’t the only issue Walid Regragui will have to deal with.
His side were a picture of the walking wounded by the time the referee brought an end to their 1-0 win over Portugal. Besiktas centre-back Romain Saiss had his hamstring heavily strapped before the game and lasted 57 minutes before being stretchered off. If he turns out for this one it will be nothing short of a miracle.
Fellow defenders Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui both missed the win over Portugal with a thigh issue and illness respectively, but could come back into contention here. The manager was keen not to give anything away but his side could do with those returning faces to boost their energy levels.
It’s been a Herculean effort to make it this far. They should have lost every game they’ve played according to expected goals (xG), but instead they’ve beaten Belgium and Portugal in normal time, and Spain on penalties. Their unity and teamwork has made them the standout team of the tournament and under their inspirational manager, who only took the job at the end of August, they’ve defied the odds.
Regragui, before the tournament, hadn’t been given the credit he deserved. He’d just led Wydad to the Moroccan league and CAF Champions League double, yet his appointment was still met with some derision. He was even called ‘avocado head’ by some sections of the media, even if most fans were in favour of getting rid of his divisive predecessor Vahid Halilhodzic.
Halilhodzic had secured qualification and led Morocco to the quarter-finals of the AFCON during his three-year tenure, but the Bosnian was abrasive for many of the players. Star man Hakim Ziyech retired from international football due to their falling out while Bayern Munich’s Mazraoui was also banished after refusing to drink water every five minutes at training. No, seriously.
Striker Abderrazak Hamdallah also retired from international football back in 2019, but has been welcomed back into the fold with open arms by Regragui. The manager has created a wonderful atmosphere and those issues of the past have been long forgotten, with each player now crucial to Morocco’s success.
He’s also given them a huge amount of belief. Every win has boosted the team further and now there is seemingly no limit to what they can achieve. "Why not reach the final of the World Cup? We will show great desire and try to pull off an upset," said Regragui in his latest press conference. "We've come to this competition to change mindsets within our continent.
“We are on a mission and I can assure you - we are not tired. We will run, there won't be any fatigue. We have a huge chance. I don't want to waste it and wait another 40 years. This is our time."
One man who will have to step up to the plate is PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi. He scored a magnificent Panenka to win the tie against Spain, but will now be coming up against clubmate Kylian Mbappe, who has his eye on the Golden Boot and a second successive World Cup at just 23.
The pair visited Qatar with PSG back in January and shared a premonition of their World Cup meeting. “I hope we will win [against Tunisia] and after we play against Morocco, I have to destroy my friend,” Kylian Mbappe said next to his teammate.
“I'm going to kick him,” Hakimi responded before Mbappe reiterated, “That will break my heart a little but it’s football it is what it is…I have to kill him.”
Mbappe failed to score against England and Kyle Walker, and Hakimi, who is just as quick, might even be a better fit to silence arguably the best player in the world. But as the Three Lions found out, if Mbappe doesn’t get you - one of the others will.
The Atlas Lions however, are a different beast. They’ve come from the brink of despair to the final four of the World Cup thanks to Regragui and if they defy the odds against France, they’ll have written the greatest World Cup underdog story ever told.
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