The FIFA World Cup quarter-finals begin with a match between France and Morocco, with Atlas Lions looking to avenge their 2022 semi-final defeat and book a place in the last four.
France enters the competition as favorites, but Morocco have already proven they can challenge the world’s best on the biggest stage.
From Opta predictions and the latest match details to the new rivalry between Kylian Mbappé and Achraf Hakimi, here’s what you need to know.
What is the full game schedule for Friday?
France vs. Morocco, Thursday, July 9th, 4pm (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, USA
What are the predictions?
The semi-final between France and Morocco, to be held in Qatar in 2022, will be the first-ever meeting between the two countries. Goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani gave France a 2-0 victory, ending the Atlas Lions’ remarkable World Cup journey.
The two teams have met five other times, all in friendlies, with France maintaining an unbeaten record. Les Bleus won three of those games and finished level in the other two.
France is the clear favorite to win, according to the supercomputer Opta. After 25,000 pre-match simulations, Les Bleus came out on top with 61.7% of results.
There was a 16.2 per cent chance that Morocco would upset France by beating France within 90 minutes, but 22.1 per cent of simulations resulted in a draw, meaning extra time and possibly penalties would be needed to decide the winner.
What other topics are being discussed?
France vs Morocco rematch is a big deal
The much-awaited World Cup quarter-final rematch between France and Morocco has fans buzzing with excitement as the battle takes place on the pitch.
Four years later, France remain firm favorites to win the title, but Morocco are now also seen as genuine World Cup contenders, as the Atlas Lions have established themselves as a powerhouse in world football.
“Today is no longer a surprise. It’s a matter of great pride,” Morocco coach Mohamed Ouabi said after defeating Canada 3-0 in the last 16.
“I think this is just the beginning. I hope to continue this type of performance for many years to come.”
Wabi insists that revenge against France is not Morocco’s main motive.
“We want to do the best we can and make our people proud,” he said.
conflict of friends
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has vowed to put friendships aside when his Atlas Lions face France in the much-anticipated World Cup quarter-finals, insisting that what happens on the pitch and relationships off it are two different things.
The comments came after Moroccan comedian Mimo Razraq shared a light-hearted video on Instagram that poked fun at Hakimi’s close relationship with France captain Kylian Mbappé. As the two international team-mates prepare to meet in Boston, Razulak jokingly questioned whether Mbappé could really be called a true friend.
In the video, the comedian teased that if Mbappé was a real friend, he would have given Hakimi the chance to take revenge for Morocco’s 2-0 loss to France in Qatar. He deadpanned and added that true friends should help each other succeed.
Justin Bieber and others participate in World Cup final halftime show
Bieber will bring memorabilia to the World Cup’s star-studded Super Bowl-style halftime show, joining fellow headliners Madonna, Shakira and BTS, FIFA announced Wednesday.
Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and Staten Island, New York-based elementary school choir PS22 Chorus will also perform, the latter joined by Coldplay.
The 11-minute halftime performance, directed by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, will take place at the finals on July 19 outside New York. The show supports the FIFA Global Citizenship Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to help children access education and soccer opportunities.
“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way that nothing else can,” Bieber said in a statement. “I am grateful to be a part of this halftime show, and even more grateful to know that it is already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”
Argentine publication La Nación reports that US federal prosecutors and FBI agents are investigating the financial activities of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in the US, with investigators investigating companies that handled transactions related to sponsorship revenue and payments to the federation.
The investigation reportedly focuses on how the $300 million moved through the U.S. financial system and whether transactions involving the AFA partners may have violated U.S. law, including potential money laundering and bank fraud concerns.
Businessman Guillermo Tofoni is among those said to have provided information to investigators, and authorities are also considering interviewing former Argentine officials and people familiar with AFA activities under Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia and Pablo Tovigino.
AFA defended its position, stressing that the investigation does not suggest any wrongdoing and all parties should be considered innocent unless proven otherwise.
Giuliani defends White House response to Iran team
The White House defended its handling of Iran’s visa restrictions during the World Cup, with senior administration official Andrew Giuliani saying the decision to have the team based in Tijuana, Mexico, rather than Tucson was a win-win.
Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup Task Force, said cross-border logistics worked smoothly for all parties, despite Iran’s complaints during the group stage and after its exit from the tournament.
Iran’s soccer federation had made last-minute negotiations to move the team’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico, citing uncertainty over whether they would be granted visas to enter the United States.
“It’s important to point out that the Iranians chose to go to Tijuana, and we are happy with that choice,” Giuliani told reporters Wednesday. “I think the Mexicans were very happy with that choice. I think, as they said, the Iranians were also very happy with that choice.”
“I think what we tried to do here on the White House task force was to apply common sense to ensure that athletes have fair play on the field.”
