The contrasting styles of France’s knockout matches in the World Cup against Morocco highlight a significant transformation under Didier Deschamps. While the scorelines remained identical, the approach taken by the French team evolved dramatically.
In just one tournament cycle, Deschamps has adopted a more fluid attacking philosophy. A dynamic duo of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé propelled the team into the semi-finals, once again validating the coach’s tactical shift.
During the 2022 semi-final in Qatar, the French coach employed a pragmatic setup, effectively neutralizing Morocco’s offense. France triumphed with a narrow victory, converting two of their three shots on target while managing to keep Morocco’s emerging threat at bay.
Fast forward three and a half years, and by half-time in Boston, France had unleashed four times the number of shots on goal compared to their entire performance against Morocco in 2022. However, it was their turn to face frustration.
A high pressing strategy, an innovative approach compared to previous iterations of the team, kept Morocco on the defensive for much of the first half. Stripped of a key attacking player in Ismael Saibari, the Atlas Lions struggled to mount any meaningful offense.
Concerns arose that a physically demanding victory over Paraguay five days earlier might have disrupted the rhythm of the French attack, which was averaging over three goals per game. The combative nature of the previous match, coupled with questionable officiating, seemed to lay a template for frustrating Les Bleus.
The lingering bitterness from that encounter, particularly due to the racist remarks directed at Mbappé by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla, added to the tension. Deschamps emphasized, “Morocco will be our opponent, not the referee,” ahead of the match. Fortunately for France, they experienced a fairer officiating performance and faced a less confrontational adversary.
As the first half progressed, a familiar sense of frustration surfaced, with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou thwarting efforts from Désiré Doué and the forwards struggling to find their rhythm. Mbappé’s delayed penalty attempt, which took three minutes to execute, compounded the team’s irritation.
Unlike Paraguay’s defense, which had tightly restricted their movement, Morocco’s strategy was more aggressive. Mbappé exploited a gap behind his former teammate Achraf Hakimi, leading to a penalty, and later created space for himself to score the opening goal in the 60th minute.
Echoing his performance against Sweden, Mbappé’s sudden strike broke the deadlock after a somewhat unproductive first half. Dembélé’s goal shortly after suggested a potential surge in scoring, but an ankle injury forced Mbappé’s early exit, disrupting France’s attacking momentum.
Despite having less possession than their opponents, France maintained control of the match, unlike their previous encounter. Manu Koné’s energetic display likely secured his place in the starting lineup, alleviating concerns about Aurélien Tchouaméni’s fitness issues.
The French defense remained largely unchallenged over the last three hours of play, a scenario that suits them given William Saliba’s ongoing back issues. However, they now face a tougher test in the semi-finals against either Spain or Belgium, whose attacks are expected to be more incisive.
Morocco found themselves consistently pressed back as France dominated their toughest opponent thus far in the tournament. Despite their goal-scoring difficulties, the French side seldom felt threatened. Adrien Rabiot remarked, “We felt that they weren’t dangerous in the moments when we left them the ball,”
In previous matches, France’s attack has required numerous chances before breaking through. The seamless interplay among Mbappé, Dembélé, and Michael Olise has generated a wealth of opportunities, but their finishing has often been wayward.
In a pre-match briefing, Deschamps acknowledged the need for improvement in their goal-scoring ability. “We felt as though we didn’t have to fear them.” he stated. As they prepare to move from the East Coast for their semi-final in Dallas, there is a sense the team is stepping out of their established comfort zone.
At this moment, however, they seem poised to tackle any challenge ahead.
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