Morocco have suffered a major setback ahead of their crucial World Cup quarter-final tie against tournament favourites France on Thursday evening. Star forward Ismael Saibari has been ruled out of the clash in Boston after failing to recover from a hamstring injury sustained during the previous round.
Liverpool fans may well be casting a keen eye over France's World Cup showdown with Morocco on Thursday, as a brewing transfer saga provides an intriguing subplot to the quarter-final. Something of a merry-go-round could well see Les Bleus winger Bradley Barcola end up at Anfield this summer - ironically a result of the Reds losing out to his current employers Paris Saint-Germain in the battle to sign Yan Diomande.
Didier Deschamps has confirmed Michael Olise remains on a yellow card for the World Cup quarter-final against Morocco after FIFA rejected a formal appeal. The decision contrasts sharply with the governing body recently overturning a suspension for United States forward Folarin Balogun, adding further frustration as France map their potential route to the semi-final.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Kylian Mbappe remains fully focused and mentally strong ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Morocco. The Les Bleus captain was targeted by vile racist abuse from a Paraguayan politician following France's narrow knockout victory over the South American side.
Patrice Evra has explained to GOAL why Michael Olise’s “nonchalance” is a good thing, with the enigmatic France international winger being told what the “hardest” part of being a superstar is about to become. The Bayern Munich forward has been in dazzling form for club and country, with World Cup glory currently being chased down on North American soil.
FIFA has sparked a massive debate ahead of the World Cup quarter-finals by appointing an entirely Argentine officiating crew for France's clash against Morocco. The decision has raised eyebrows across the footballing world given the intense recent history and bubbling rivalry between Les Bleus and the Albiceleste, as well as the fact Argentina are likely to be a main challenger to France winning the entire tournament.
We're in the end game now! With only eight teams remaining, the 2026 World Cup is about to reach boiling point, with the stakes unspeakably high for each of the quarter-finalists. The next round has a lot to live up, too, after this thrilling tournament continued to deliver moments of magic on an almost daily basis.
Kylian Mbappe is on a Lionel Messi-themed revenge mission at the 2026 World Cup, Louis Saha has told GOAL, with France’s talismanic striker determined to right a few wrongs from Qatar 2022. Final agony - despite scoring a hat-trick against Argentina - was endured in the Middle East, but positive progress has been made through another major competition on North American soil.
The 2026 World Cup has been a non-stop festival of football across North America, but fans looking for their daily fix on Wednesday will find the schedule surprisingly empty. After a breathless round of 16 that saw the world's heavyweights battle for survival, FIFA has implemented a tactical pause in the proceedings.
France may be cruising at the World Cup, but all is reportedly not well behind the scenes in the Les Bleus camp. Despite a perfect run to the quarter-finals, reports suggest that one of Didier Deschamps' brightest young talents is reaching a breaking point over his peripheral role in North America.
Comprehensive match preview of France vs Morocco at World Cup 2026. We talk tactics, team news and more ahead of this quarter-final clash in Foxborough.
France captain Kylian Mbappe has issued a scathing response to Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla following a series of vile racist attacks directed at the forward. The Real Madrid star was targeted by the politician on social media after Les Bleus eliminated Paraguay from the 2026 World Cup in a heated last-16 encounter.
The French Football Federation (FFF) has launched an appeal to FIFA in an attempt to have Michael Olise’s yellow card rescinded. The Bayern Munich star was booked during Les Bleus' last-16 victory over Paraguay, leaving him on a disciplinary tightrope ahead of the quarter-finals.
The meteoric rise of young stars like Lamine Yamal has reignited the debate about who could inherit the throne left by the two greatest legends of modern football. However, former player Tonito warns that reaching the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo requires a consistency that few in history have managed to demonstrate over decades.
Dayot Upamecano has dismissed speculation linking Michael Olise with a move to Real Madrid, insisting the Bayern Munich winger is staying put. The France defender's comments come amid reports suggesting Los Blanco could make a record-breaking €223 million bid for the 24-year-old.
Jamie Carragher believes Harry Kane deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or based on his performances over the past year. However, the former Liverpool defender argues that the award is likely to go to Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe if Argentina or France lift the World Cup, leaving England’s captain at a disadvantage.
Former Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has admitted he would have struggled to maintain his composure during France’s ill-tempered World Cup victory over Paraguay. The Swedish legend praised Les Bleus for keeping their cool in the face of relentless physical provocation during the knockout encounter.
Kylian Mbappe refused to be distracted after a Paraguay player attempted to scuff the penalty spot before his decisive spot-kick. The France star converted with confidence, drew level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race and celebrated in front of his opponents as Les Bleus secured their place in the quarter-finals.
Kylian Mbappe has hit back at Paraguay’s physical approach, insisting that France are more than happy to "get their hands dirty" after securing a clinical 1-0 victory in the World Cup round of 16. The Real Madrid-bound superstar dismissed the South Americans' provocations with a smile before dispatching the decisive second-half penalty to set up a quarter-final date with Morocco.
Kylian Mbappe put France through to the World Cup quarter-final with a second-half penalty before tensions boiled over at full-time against Paraguay. Goalkeeper Orlando Gill threw the match ball at the Les Bleus captain after claiming his handshake was ignored, sparking a mass confrontation involving players and coaching staff.
Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot as France progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a laboured 1-0 win over an aggressive and cynical Paraguay side on Saturday evening. The South Americans, who upset Germany in the previous round, were always expected to make for awkward and uncompromising opponents for the tournament favourites but it was nonetheless surprising just how much Didier Deschamps' stellar forward line struggled to create chances in Philadelphia.
France's World Cup round of 16 clash against Paraguay is facing a potential late delay as FIFA officials monitor deteriorating weather conditions in Philadelphia. Substantial stormy weather is expected to hit the area just as the scheduled kick-off approaches at Lincoln Financial Field.
France
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