Morocco’s World Cup aspirations have taken a significant hit just hours before their most crucial match of the tournament. Star forward Ismael Saibari has been sidelined for the quarterfinal against France due to a hamstring injury that he couldn’t shake off. The Bayern Munich player, who made a €50 million switch from PSV Eindhoven earlier this month, only managed to play 22 minutes in Morocco’s impressive 3-0 victory over Canada before he had to leave the field. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi announced on Wednesday that Saibari won’t be fit in time for the knockout showdown. This setback comes as Morocco gears up to face France for the first time since their 2-0 loss to Les Bleus in the 2022 World Cup semifinal in Qatar.
Speaking ahead of the match, Ouahbi confirmed that Saibari remains the only unavailable player in the squad. The Morocco coach said during his pre-match press conference, “Everyone’s available, except Saibari, with the match coming too early for him, although he’s not out for the rest of the tournament, I hope. Everyone’s available, although we of course will only select the players who are at 100%.”
Morocco remain hopeful the forward could return if they progress further in the competition.
France Hold 4-1 Edge Over Morocco in FIFA World Cups
The upcoming meeting in Boston is set to unite two nations with vastly different World Cup legacies but surprisingly similar goals. France arrives as a proud two-time world champion, having claimed the trophy in 1998 and 2018, and they’ve also made it to the finals in 2006 and 2022. On the other hand, Morocco carries the dreams of an entire continent, having made history as the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal in Qatar just four years ago. Plus, they come into this tournament as the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions.
Both teams boast impressive talent. France has leaned on the explosive skills of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, Morocco, despite the absence of Saibari, still has game-changers like Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz in their ranks. France has shown themselves to be one of the strongest contenders, with wins over Senegal, Iraq, Norway, and Sweden, and they narrowly defeated Paraguay to secure their spot in the quarterfinals. Morocco’s journey has been more challenging, but their performances against Brazil and the Netherlands have proven they can hold their own against top-tier teams.
When it comes to history, France has the upper hand. Les Bleus have triumphed in four out of six encounters with Morocco, who have managed one win and one draw. The last time they faced off, France came out on top with a 2-0 victory in the 2022 semifinal, following Morocco’s stunning upsets over Spain and Portugal during their remarkable run. Their rivalry has seen some unforgettable moments, including France’s 5-1 win in the 2000 King Hassan II Cup final and a thrilling 2-2 draw in Paris back in 2007. Now, Thursday’s match presents Morocco with another opportunity to change the narrative.
