France vs Morocco LIVE: Michael Olise appeal rejected by Fifa as Atlas Lions hit with injury blow

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The Independent

·9 de julio de 2026

France vs Morocco LIVE: Michael Olise appeal rejected by Fifa as Atlas Lions hit with injury blow

Tournament favourites France face their biggest test of the World Cup so far as they take on dark horses Morocco in a repeat of the 2022 semi-final.

Didier Deschamps have stamped their mark as the team to beat at this summer’s finals with Kylian Mbappe spearheading an attacking powerhouse that breezed through the group stage and last-32, but they endured a more difficult outing last time out against a Paraguay team intent in deploying underhanded tactics.

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Mbappe’s spot-kick proved the difference in a 1-0 win to send them through but France will need to return to their ruthless best against Morocco, who have impressed en route to the quarters and comfortably dispatched co-hosts Canada in the previous round.

The Atlas Lions will also be fuelled by the opportunity to exact revenge on Les Bleus for their 2-0 defeat in Doha, which ended their surprise run to the last-four.

Rating all eight nations ahead of the quarter-finals

3. England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ⬆️

They’ve only gone and got us dreaming again. After nearly succumbing to another “Iceland moment” in a narrow, late comeback win over DR Congo in the last-32, many had England pegged to go out to co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca (did you know it’s quite high up?), a fortress of Mexican football where only two away teams had ever won in a competitive match. What ensued was one of the best England performances in World Cup history.

After surviving the early expected wave of Mexican pressure, Jude Bellingham’s stunning brace in a minute put the Three Lions in control. England’s resolve went on to be seriously tested, however - their lead was cut in half not once but twice, with the teams trading penalties after the break, and they played much of the second half with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off (get on the blower to Gianni, Keir!).

Those last 20 minutes of normal time, plus 11 agonising minutes in stoppages, were some of the longest in memory. But after putting in the defensive shift of their lives - Dan Burn, I’m pointing at you - Thomas Tuchel’s men got over the line in Mexico City. National pride spiked at 4am, a World Cup dream renewed. To quote the late, great Eddie Guerrero, viva la raza. Norway next.

(Getty)

Rating all eight nations ahead of the quarter-finals

4. Argentina 🇦🇷 ⬇️

It is still very much the Lionel Messi show when it comes to Argentina - though his goals are now becoming a sub-plot of a turbulent knockout stage so far for the holders. After a narrow extra-time win over an admirable Cape Verde side took a bit of the shine off a flawless group stage, their World Cup now surrounded by refereeing controversy after coming from two down to scrape past Egypt.

The Pharaohs had a goal disallowed in the first half for a foul many considered way too far back in the build-up to justify action, while Mohamed Salah thought he should have had a penalty before the Argentina counter-attacked and found their stoppage-time winner. Mostafa Ziko, who saw his goal chalked off before scoring anyway in the second half, has accused the World Cup of being “fixed” as a result. It’s an ugly look for Argentina, whose very lucky - and arguably wrongful - escape against a significantly weaker side pushes them down in these rankings.

(AP)

Will Castle9 July 2026 13:36

Rating all eight nations ahead of the quarter-finals

5. Morocco 🇲🇦 ⬆️

The Afcon (sort of) champions impressed in the group stage, especially in their opening draw against Brazil where they were the better side, but were punished for not scoring big against Scotland or Haiti as they ran out second in Group C, setting up a match with big hitters Netherlands in the round of 32’s most-stacked tie.

Cue a match filled with last drama and one of the most bewildering penalty shootouts in World Cup history, which saw five out of 10 spot-kicks missed - with Morocco the victors. After inflicting one of the two biggest eliminations of the last-32, Morocco have now dumped out one of the hosts in a dominant win over Canada, and are very much succeeding in their bid to prove their 2022 semi-final run was no fluke.

Will Castle9 July 2026 13:30

Rating all eight nations ahead of the quarter-finals

6. Norway 🇳🇴 ⬆️

Norway hadn’t been at a World Cup in 28 years before making their return to the global stage in North America - they now look like they’re here to stay. Powered by Erling Haaland’s goals, they head to the quarter-finals off the back of the biggest scalp in their history, dumping out five-time winners Brazil in an upset that, on paper, looks seismic, but was actually very much on the cards if you’d watched both teams this tournament. Haaland scored both in the 2-0 win in New Jersey (because of course he did) to propel himself among Messi and Mbappe in the golden boot race, and now stares down the barrel of a last-eight meeting with the Three Lions - unfortunately for Tuchel, Haaland has a knack for scoring against English defences.

(Getty)

Will Castle9 July 2026 13:24

Rating all eight nations ahead of the quarter-finals

7. Belgium 🇧🇪 ⬆️

The people’s team. Belgium were faced with an injustice and a very possible breach of sporting integrity heading into their last-16 clash with hosts USA when their top scorer Balogun saw his red card ban was “suspended” by Fifa, which followed a call from US president Donald Trump to his good chum Gianni Infantino. Spark the entire footballing world (apart from the Americans) rooting against those great United States. And boy, did we get a successful hate watch.

While Belgium are not what they used to be after seeing their golden generation pass them by, Rudi Garcia’s team clearly had extra fire in their belly courtesy of the controversy as they dismantled the dismal hosts in a 4-1 win. “Overturn this,” posted Belgium on their official social media accounts.

They beat the odds stacked against them by Mr Trump, but can they do it again by overcoming one of the tournament favourites in Spain next up? We think that’s a long shot.

(AP)

Will Castle9 July 2026 13:18

Rating all eight nations ahead of the quarter-finals

8. Switzerland🇨🇭⬆️

You can’t really be classed as getting the wooden spoon as a World Cup quarter-finalist but if it has to be given out, Switzerland are the receivers as the victor of the most uneventful last-16 tie by a country mile.

The Swiss are into the quarter-finals after edging Colombia on penalties, following a goalless draw in 120 minutes. The first time they’ve reached the last-eight in 72 years, Switzerland have finally broken their last-16 curse - they’d exited the competition five times just before the quarters since that 1954 run.

They’re charged with eliminating holders Argentina in the next round - safe to say they’ll have the whole of Egypt rooting for them, too.

Will Castle9 July 2026 13:12

Morocco's early team news

Ismael Saibari was substituted early in their last-16 clash against Canada because of a hamstring strain and Soufiane Rahimi could lead the line instead. Centre-back Chadi Riad is a doubt.

Possible Morocco XI: Bono; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; Diaz, Ounahi; El Khannouss; Rahimi.

Mike Jones9 July 2026 13:00