France vs. Morocco: Team to Advance

Analysis

France didn't dazzle against Paraguay, but they did exactly what tournament winners do — they found a way through. A Mbappé penalty, a clean sheet, job done. That kind of controlled ruthlessness is worth more than a flashy performance in the knockout rounds. Morocco deserve genuine respect. Their 3-0 demolition of Canada was emphatic, Ounahi and Rahimi gave them real attacking punch, and their defensive block remains one of the hardest structures to break down in international football. This is a side that's made back-to-back quarterfinals — the Cinderella story label no longer applies. But France have something Morocco simply don't — depth at every position and a squad that has been in this exact pressure cooker before. They beat this same Morocco core in the 2022 semi-final and know how to grind them down. When the game gets tight late, Mbappé and company have more ways to find a winner than anyone else left in this tournament. The grind is coming. Extra time is possible. But France's superior options off the bench and their big-game instincts make them the side I want when it matters most — back France to advance and don't let Morocco's defensive reputation scare you off.