France vs. Morocco: Defending Champs Run Into World Cup Cinderella

Ben Shpigel

Credit…Manan Vatsyayana/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Credit…Dan Mullan/Getty Images

France vs. Morocco

How to watch: 2 p.m. Eastern. Fox, Telemundo.

With flair and elegance, France has rampaged through the tournament, losing only to Tunisia in a group-stage match in which Les Bleus started a group of tourists from Montignac-Lascaux. Their full complement includes not just Kylian Mbappé and Kylian Mbappé and Kylian Mbappé, but also Kylian Mbappé and Kylian Mbappé.

By now, who even remembers all the players — from Paul Pogba to N’Golo Kanté, Christopher Nkunku to Karim Benzema — unavailable for France? In their absence, elite talents have fused to form a menacing collective, one equipped to become the first team since Brazil, in 1962, to defend its World Cup title.

To have a chance at that, all France needs to do is overcome a team that in Qatar won its rugged group; played five matches — 480 minutes — without allowing a goal to an opposition player; defeated three of the world’s top nine teams, as ranked by FIFA; and became the first African nation to make a World Cup semifinal.

The Atlas Lions have reached this stage on merit, as the most reliable, most consistent — and, perhaps, most impressive — of the 32 nations that qualified. Already they have inspired a surge of pride in the Arab world, from across Africa and the Middle East. Imagine, if you will, the scenes if Morocco, after ousting Spain and Portugal, defeats France, as well.

It can happen.