The World Cup quarter-final of Morocco against France has attracted attention beyond the pitch, with French media coverage intensifying in the build-up to Thursday’s highly anticipated encounter.
The Atlas Lions are preparing to face the two-time champions in a repeat of their historic 2022 semi-final meeting, but the atmosphere around the fixture has extended beyond tactical discussions and team selection.
Several French media outlets have devoted extensive coverage to Morocco in the days leading up to the match, examining everything from refereeing decisions and past encounters to player relationships and personal stories involving members of the squad.
The increased attention has created debate over whether the coverage represents normal pre-match analysis or an attempt to create additional pressure around the Moroccan team before the quarter-final.
French outlet RMC Sport has been among the platforms producing significant content about the Atlas Lions.
One article published by the outlet was titled “France-Morocco: An Open Wound”, referring to France’s victory over Morocco in the 2022 World Cup semi-final.
The report revisited discussions surrounding the match, including claims from some Moroccan media outlets about two penalty decisions that were not awarded during that encounter.
RMC Sport also highlighted events from Wednesday’s press conference, where there was reported frustration among some Moroccan journalists and France coach Didier Deschamps because of delays before questions were taken.
The coverage has also extended into issues involving Morocco’s players.
One report focused on the relationship between Brahim Diaz and captain Achraf Hakimi following Diaz’s missed Panenka penalty during the Africa Cup of Nations.
The article, titled “Tense Relationship and Harsh Words: Achraf Hakimi Did Not Take Kindly to Brahim Diaz’s Missed Panenka,” examined the incident and raised questions about possible tensions within the Moroccan squad.
However, Morocco’s camp has continued to present an image of unity as they prepare for one of the biggest matches in their football history.
The media spotlight has not been limited to sporting matters.
French magazine Grazia France also published content about Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s wife, Imane Khallad, highlighting her work as a model, social media personality and face of a perfume advertising campaign.
The attention surrounding Morocco reflects the increased global interest in a team that has transformed its reputation on the international stage.
The Atlas Lions made history at the 2022 World Cup by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals and have continued to attract admiration during their latest campaign.
As the quarter-final approaches, questions remain over whether the intense coverage is simply part of the build-up to a major international fixture or whether it could influence the psychological environment around the Moroccan squad.
For Morocco, the response has been to maintain focus on their objective.
The team’s progress will ultimately be decided by performances on the pitch rather than headlines away from it.
With a place in the World Cup semi-finals at stake, the Atlas Lions will aim to block out external distractions and produce another memorable performance against France.
