Morocco XI vs France: Diaz up front, Mazraoui at centre-back, Saibari on bench | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Morocco have confirmed their starting XI for Thursday's 22:00 World Cup quarter-final against France in Foxborough, near Boston, with Brahim Diaz up front and Achraf Hakimi as captain.

Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi sticks with his settled 4-2-3-1. Morocco are unbeaten at this World Cup, as are France, and Ayyoub Bouaddi starts in midfield.

Ismael Saibari, their leading scorer at the tournament, is not sufficiently recovered from the thigh knock sustained against Canada to start. The new Bayern Munich player makes way for Chemsdine Talbi, who will operate on the wing with Bilal El Khannouss.

Diaz leads the line. At the back, Chadi Riad, a group-stage starter, stays on the bench, with Noussair Mazraoui moving into central defence and Anass Salah-Eddine taking the left.

Morocco XI: Bounou, Hakimi, Diop, Mazraoui, Salah-Eddine, Bouaddi, El Aynaoui, Talbi, Ounahi, El Khannouss, Diaz.

Source: L'Équipe