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After the announcement of “Les Bleus” as the next rivals of the Atlas Lions in the Quarter-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026, everyone got a flashback of the terrifying scenario that happened to the national team in the Semi-final back in 2022.
The two teams have faced each other several times before, including in unofficial matches and International friendlies. In total, they have met six times. France won 4 of those, while Morocco won only once with a penalty shootout in 1998 after a 2-2 draw in the King Hassan II Cup tournament.
What happened in Qatar 2022
The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is arguably the most important match Morocco’s Atlas Lions have so far played on the world stage. Morocco lost to France due to a combination of defence injuries, players fatigue, officiating bias, a costly early tactical shift, and France’s clinical efficiency.
Despite dominating 60% of the possession and matching the world champions in intensity, several factors went against the Atlas Lions.
First, Morocco’s historic performance during the 2022 World Cup was built on a strong impenetrable defense that sadly collapsed physically right before the Semi-final match. Nayef Aguerd was named in the starting lineup but had to pull out just minutes before kickoff due to his injury. In addition, the Atlas Lions’ then captain, Romain Sais, tried to play through a hamstring injury but was clearly compromised and had to be substituted off after just 21 minutes. Noussair Mazraoui was also playing through illness and injury, forcing him out at halftime.
Second, because of the missing defenders, former coach Walid Regragui abandoned his highly successful 4-3-3 formation to start with a 5-4-1 system. The unfamiliar defensive shape caused immediate positional confusion, resulting in an early goal by Theo Hernandez. Morocco reverted back to 4-3-3 later, but the damage was already done.
Third, France’s opening goal in the 5th minute forced Morocco out of their comfort zone, low-block counter-attacking setup. They had to chase the game, leaving themselves exposed to Kylian Mbappé and France’s lethal pace on the break.
Fourth, the Atlas Lions lacked a scoring edge in 2022. They created several fine scoring opportunities against France, but could not find the mark on them. Jawad El Yamiq twice struck the post with a spectacular overhead kick and also saw a series of scrambles from close range defended by France. By contrast, France took their chances with ruthless efficiency, scoring twice from just two shots on target.
Last but not least, refereeing errors or bias robbed Morocco of chances of getting back into the game. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) formally filed a complaint with FIFA over the night’s poor officiating. They pointed out that Morocco had been denied two clear penalties, most notably when Sofiane Boufal was being brought down by Theo Hernandez in the box but was shown a yellow card instead for diving.
This time is different
Unlike the 2022 World Cup tournament, where Morocco was known as a defensive team, this year’s Atlas Lions are dominant, proactive, and hungry for scoring.
In terms of tactical identity, Morocco was famous for their counter-attacking, low defensive block, and passive possession in 2022. But they are more creative, enterprising, and daring in ball possession this time around. They overload central areas, forcing opponents to leave dangerous spaces behind.
Under Mohamed Ouahbi’s tactical tweaks, Morocco no longer just sits back. At this World Cup, they famously dominated possession and controlled the tempo to oust the Netherlands and outplay Canada. With Azzedine Ounahi playing in an advanced roaming creative role and Ismael Saibari excelling as a fluid false nine, Morocco’s attack is highly fluid and unpredictable.
Also, the squad has greater depth and more creativity than in 2022. Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz provides lethal attacking instinct from the wings, while 18-year-old Lille prodigy Ayyoub Bouaddi has given Morocco an elite midfield that is capable of completely dismantling France’s pressure.
The structural blueprint for beating France as well is already proven. As Mohamed Ouahbi previously led Morocco’s U-20 team to a dramatic victory over France in the semi-finals of the 2025 U-20 World Cup before winning the championship which shows that the tactical fear factor can be gone with the new coach.
And so, just because Morocco lost the last game against France does not mean this will be their destiny this time. Football is all about passion and pride, as long as the squad wants to fight for their nation, they can go forward, and they can perform better than any expectations.
