A close friendship will be temporarily put aside when Achraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappe meet on opposite sides in one of the biggest matches of the 2026 World Cup.
Morocco face France in a quarter-final showdown on Thursday, with the two Paris Saint-Germain former teammates preparing to become direct opponents for a place in the semi-finals.
The meeting between Hakimi and Mbappe is expected to be one of the defining individual battles of the contest.
For Morocco, the question is whether their captain can produce the defensive performance required to limit one of the most dangerous attackers in world football.
For France, Mbappe remains a central figure in their pursuit of another World Cup title, while Hakimi represents one of the biggest obstacles standing in their way.
The two players developed a strong relationship during their time together at PSG before Mbappe moved to Real Madrid, but their friendship will be put on hold as national ambitions take priority.
Millions of fans around the world are preparing for a match that carries both sporting and historical significance.
Morocco enter the encounter looking for another opportunity to rewrite their World Cup story against France, four years after their memorable run in Qatar ended in the semi-finals.
In 2022, France defeated Morocco 2-0 to reach the final, ending the Atlas Lions’ hopes of becoming the first African team to reach a World Cup final.
The defeat was painful for Morocco supporters, with many feeling their team was unfortunate after missing key opportunities and facing controversial moments during the match.
Despite the loss, Morocco’s campaign in Qatar created history.
They became the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final, earning global recognition for their defensive organisation, tactical discipline and ability to compete with football’s elite nations.
Now, the Atlas Lions are hoping to go one step further.
The current Moroccan squad believes it has the quality and experience to overcome France and secure another historic achievement.
However, history favours Les Bleus.
Morocco have only defeated France once in their history, with that victory coming in a friendly tournament in Casablanca on 29 May 1998.
The match ended 2-2 before Morocco won 6-5 on penalties, just days before France hosted the World Cup.
Almost three decades later, Morocco supporters believe their team has a genuine opportunity to break that record.
The current squad includes several players performing at the highest level in European football, with Hakimi among the leaders of a generation that has raised expectations around the national team.
