2026 World Cup: the four head-to-head clashes to watch in the Morocco vs France showdown

09.07.26 FT World Cup

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Morocco

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The marquee quarter-final of the World Cup will pit Morocco against France.

The Atlas Lions reached this stage of the competition thanks to their emphatic 3-0 victory over Canada.

For their part, Les Bleus edged Paraguay in the Round of 16 by the narrowest of margins.

Here are four head-to-head duels to follow during the Morocco vs France clash.

Diop vs Mbappé

The Atlas Lions defender will have his work cut out for him as he faces Kylian Mbappé in this blockbuster World Cup quarter-final.

With seven goals to his name, the Madrid star sits second in the tournament's top scorer rankings, just one behind Argentina's Lionel Messi, who has eight goals.

Meanwhile, the Fulham defender netted a crucial goal in the round of 32 against the Netherlands.

Bouaddi vs Rabiot

The midfield battle promises to be intense between the Atlas Lions' rising star and the French team's midfield general.

One of the tournament's standout performers, the Lille midfielder will need to be at his very best to contain the Les Bleus metronome.

Bouaddi has played in five matches this tournament without registering a goal or an assist, while Rabiot has featured in four games, providing a key assist against Senegal.

Hakimi vs Barcola

The showdown between the two Parisian stars will be one of the highlights of this quarter-final.

A key player in Mohamed Ouhabi's setup, the Madrid-born fullback is the technical leader of the Moroccan squad. He has scored once and provided two assists in five appearances this tournament.

For his part, the Togo-born winger has made three goal contributions at this World Cup, netting twice—against Senegal and Sweden—and providing an assist versus Norway.

Diaz vs Digne

The head-to-head between these two players could prove decisive in this showdown.

The Madrid player is second in the World Cup's assist rankings with four assists to his name.

The former AS Roma man, meanwhile, has played three matches without scoring or providing an assist.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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