France World Cup surge meets relentless rivals as semi‑final looms

France World Cup ambitions surged on Thursday as the French side clinched a 2‑0 win over Morocco, becoming the first team to reach the World Cup 2026 semi‑finals. Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele capped a comfortable performance that left the African giants stunned. Didier Deschamps’ side cruised through the group stage, beating Senegal, Iraq and Norway without breaking a sweat. Their solid defence complemented a terrifying attacking firepower. In the round of 32 France eliminated Sweden, with Mbappe wreaking havoc on their defenders. The victory reinforced the French side’s reputation as a relentless force.

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Argentina, Spain and England are listed among the top favourites, yet none of their defences appear strong enough to contain France’s attack. The collective threat features Real Madrid star Dembele, Michael Olise and Desire Doue alongside Mbappe. Paraguay gave France a stern test in the round of 16, frustrating the French side for over an hour before Mbappe delivered the decisive breakthrough from the spot. Their use of disruptive tactics highlighted the challenges France may face. France now prepares to meet either Spain or Belgium in the semi‑final, while the Euro 2024 winners, who rebounded from a 0‑0 draw with Cape Verde, have kept clean sheets in five games and are expected to prevail over Belgium on Friday. Confidence in the French camp is sky‑high as the July 19 final approaches. Didier Deschamps believes the French team can sustain their momentum.