AL KHOR, QATAR –
France and Kylian Mbappe are heading back to the World Cup final for a highly-anticipated match against Lionel Messi after ending Morocco’s historic run at football’s biggest tournament.
France beat Africa’s first team to the semi-finals 2-0 on Wednesday, with Mbappe contributing to Theo Hernandez’s goals in the fifth minute and then coming on for Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th minute.
France will enter Sunday’s title match against Argentina to become the first team to defend their World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Mbappe has a chance to cement his status as a new superstar of football when he faces Messi. , 35 years old. , who has dominated the game with Cristiano Ronaldo for the past 15 years.
There will be no Arab team in the final of the first World Cup in the Middle East, a scenario that seemed impossible before the tournament almost took place in Qatar.
Morocco opened for Africa and created pride for the Arab nations after topping a group containing Croatia and Belgium, and knocking out two other European powers – Spain and Portugal – in the round. direct type. Their players also gave France a difficult trip, before collapsing on the pitch in despair after the final whistle.
Notably, Hernandez’s goal was the first goal scored against them by an opposing player in the tournament – the other being an own goal – and came as the defense was forced to rearrange itself due to injury. injury of two of Morocco’s best central defenders. Nayef Aguerd played warm-up but did not start, while captain Romain Saiss played only 21 minutes before limping off with a hamstring injury.
Mbappe helped create the goal as his shot missed a defender and went straight into the path of Hernandez, who let the ball bounce before his shot sank into the net from a tight angle.
Typically a first-team defense, Morocco was forced to take the field and, in front of the wild cheers of the tens of thousands of fans that dominated the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium, the team hit defeat France.
Jawad El Yamiq’s shot hit the post in the 44th minute and the French defenders had to make some final tackles in front of their goal.
Mbappe enjoyed more space as Morocco tired and, after dribbling past two defenders, his deflected shot was saved by Kolo Muani, who had been on the field for less than a minute.
The goal was celebrated in the VIP seat by French President Emmanuel Macron, who flew to the match and had previously visited the Souq Waqif market in Doha before heading to the stadium.
Mbappe is France’s leader on the football pitch and although he was kept relatively quiet by Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi – his teammate at Paris Saint-Germain – he has shown skill and pace. his death, including a 60-meter run down the field. left causing supporters to leave their seats.
In the end, Mbappe comforted the distraught Hakimi and they changed shirts before the French players ran in a line towards their small group of supporters behind one of the goals.
France will be in the final for the fourth time in the last seven World Cups.
Top Goal Scorer
The world championship trophy wasn’t the only thing at stake on Sunday. Messi and Mbappe are the top scorers with five goals as they chase the Golden Boot award.
THE THIRD POSITION
Morocco’s World Cup is not over yet. The team will play a third-place play-off against Croatia at Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.
