Four years after France ended their historic run in Qatar, Morocco are ready to face them again — and this time, they arrive with very different expectations. The two sides meet on Thursday in Boston, with Morocco carrying a point to prove against the team that knocked them out of the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.
France beat Morocco 2-0 in that last-four clash in Qatar, ending what had been a truly remarkable campaign. Morocco had become the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final, and Moroccan sports journalist Hamza Shteiwy says that defeat has never been forgotten. “This is a revenge match for the Moroccan national team,” he said. “Especially for the players who were part of that 2022 squad. They felt that loss deeply, and now they’re looking to settle the score — for themselves and for the team.”
The mood around Morocco has shifted significantly since Qatar. The Under-20 side has won the Under-20 World Cup, the senior team has climbed to sixth in Fifa’s rankings, and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s long-term investment in youth development is bearing fruit. Veteran Moroccan journalist Hameed Bel Hassan is clear that none of what happened in 2022 was accidental. “It was the result of years of strategic planning and programmes put in place by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. This has been a national project. We now have a formidable national team.”
That growth is reflected in how expectations have changed. Where a semi-final appearance once felt miraculous, it is now the minimum standard. “In 2022 we were the dreamers,” said Shteiwy. “Now people’s expectations are much higher. Anything less than the semi-finals wouldn’t be considered an achievement.”
Morocco have backed that confidence up throughout this tournament, beating Scotland, the Netherlands and Canada, and holding Brazil along the way, to set up Thursday’s rematch with France. “There’s deep faith in this team,” Shteiwy added.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
