(Doha) The dream of a second star in a row for Kylian Mbappé’s France goes through a chilling semi-final against Morocco, an unprecedented obstacle and laden with symbols on Wednesday at the 2022 World Cup, in an acquired al-Bayt stadium to the Atlas Lions, heroes of the Arab world.
Step by step, the Blues removed the curse of the defending champion, fatal to their three predecessors in the first round, evacuated the excessive defensive feverishness that appeared before the tournament in Qatar and overcame the cascade of injuries which shook them, winning with she the Ballon d’Or Karim Benzema.
Climbing into the last four, the minimum objective set for the French, appears to be a first victory against headwinds. But their coach Didier Deschamps intends to embark his crew until the end of the trip, Sunday in the final at Lusail.
“The more we advance in the competition, the closer we get to something strong and big,” proclaims captain Hugo Lloris.
With their mix of experienced executives and young wolves, the Blues of 2022 want to invite themselves into the big guestbook alongside Vava, Garrincha, Zagallo and Pelé, the last to have scored a double in the queen competition, in 1958 and 1962.
Beware, however, of Morocco, an unprecedented opponent for France in official competition, galvanized by its exploits against the Belgian, Spanish and Portuguese leaders, all of whom emerged groggy from their duels against an iron defense and a fast, technical and disconcerting attack.
“Special Flavor”
“We have to attack hard and try to break through this Moroccan wall as quickly as possible”, anticipates Lloris. Faced with this “fearsome adversary”, the objective will be to “have fun together in the effort, in the difficulty, and to excel as a team”.
PHOTO HAMAD I MOHAMMED, REUTERS
Hugo Lloris
Beyond the sporting stakes, France-Morocco constitutes a fragment of history between two countries with a thwarted union: the influence of France in the Maghreb, before independence in 1956, drew links of domination and friendships that make this match so symbolic for the hundreds of thousands of dual nationals living in France.
“It must remain a football match, even if there is a history, even if there is a lot of passion”, tempers Deschamps. The clash in al-Khor, in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron, “has a special flavor because there are also a lot of Moroccans in France, so it’s a great party”, positive Jules Koundé.
His former partners in Seville, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and striker Youssef En-Nesyri, became the heroes of an entire continent by placing Africa for the first time in the last four of a World Cup, moreover during the first edition organized in the Arab world.
Morocco wants to continue winning “for Europe, for Africa, for the Maghreb, for our brothers in sub-Saharan Africa”, says coach Walid Regragui, born in Corbeil-Essonnes, a popular city located in the southeast from Paris.
Proof of the enormous enthusiasm aroused, the national company RAM has scheduled thirty special flights between Casablanca and Doha to transport the supporters, among the most numerous and the most noisy of the tournament.
Hakimi-Mbappé duel
Lloris is wary of this “hostile climate”, “we will have to be ready, it will make noise, we will not be able to hear each other”.
The Moroccans are advancing towards this historic duel with increased fatigue by a limited rotation and an extension against Spain in the eighth. A veil of uncertainty also surrounds several executives, injured, and in the first place the central hinge Nayef Aguerd-Romain Saïss.
“We always wait until the last minute to make a decision, no one is ‘out’, no one is ‘in'”, dodged Regragui.
Right-back Achraf Hakimi has also been playing diminished since the start of the tournament. However, he is hoped for a highly anticipated face-to-face with his friend at PSG Kylian Mbappé, the tournament’s top scorer with five units, one more than Olivier Giroud.
PHOTO KARIM JAAFAR, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Ashraf Hakimi
In the event of qualification, the French team will find Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the final, whom they beat in the round of 16 of the last edition (4-3), or Luka Modric’s Croatia, already their opponent. four and a half years ago on the top step of the World Cup (4-2).
The Blues are not there yet. It will first be necessary to push the new ball of the World Cup, baptized Al Hilm (“The dream”, in Arabic), at the bottom of the Moroccan nets. The latter only trembled once in Qatar and it was an own goal.