France and Morocco Rekindle World Cup Rivalry

France and Morocco will face off in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals on Thursday in Boston in a matchup that will revive a rivalry forged by decades of common history, migration and football growth. That will be a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final when France beat Morocco 2-0.

The links between the two countries go beyond football. Morocco was a French protectorate, but the bond between the two countries goes beyond football. Morocco was a French protectorate from 1912 to 1956, and many Moroccan internationals were born or honed their skills in France.

Six of the current Morocco squad were born in France, and many of them came through French clubs and academies before deciding to play for Morocco. Another is midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who also played for France at youth level before switching his allegiance.

Thursday’s game will also see a head-to-head between Paris Saint-Germain team-mates Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi. Their close friendship has become one of the main talking points in the build-up to the quarter-final, adding a personal edge to one of the biggest fixtures of the tournament.

More than 1,000 Moroccan fans gathered peacefully at Boston Common before the game, waving flags and cheering for their team’s journey. For many fans, it was more a celebration of close cultural and family ties between the two countries than a bitter rivalry.

Morocco reached the last eight after another solid campaign built on disciplined defending and the development of its domestic and overseas talent pool. France, meanwhile, are looking to edge closer to a second World Cup title in three tournaments. The outcome will determine who advances to the semi-finals.

SOURCE: Reuters