Remember that night in Qatar when Morocco shocked the entire planet by reaching a World Cup semi-final? Zakaria Aboukhlal certainly does, because he was on the pitch when France ended that fairytale in a 2-0 defeat. Nearly four years later, Morocco and France are about to do it all over again, and Aboukhlal, watching from home this time around, has more thoughts on the matter than a pundit with a podcast.
The Torino winger was a second-half substitute in that 2022 semi-final, and he remembers every excruciating detail. Theo Hernandez put France ahead early, and even though Morocco never felt out of the contest, Les Bleus doubled their advantage through Randal Kolo Muani and shut up shop. "France were difficult because they punish every small mistake," Aboukhlal explains, which is essentially the diplomatic way of saying they're absolutely ruthless. One moment of complacency, one tiny lapse, and the ball is in the back of your net before you can blink.
But here's the thing: that painful night in Qatar changed Moroccan football forever. The heroes' welcome in Rabat wasn't just a celebration; it was a declaration. Before 2022, people hoped Morocco could compete with the heavyweights. Now, as Aboukhlal puts it with genuine conviction, everyone knows Morocco belongs at that level. It's a psychological shift that's been impossible to miss throughout their North American campaign, where the Atlas Lions have played with a composure and self-belief that screams "we've been here before and we're not going anywhere."
What's impressed Aboukhlal most from his living room vantage point is the maturity of this current group. They don't look startled to be in the quarter-finals. They don't shrink against big names. They played their own game against Brazil and the Netherlands, and they'll do the same against France. Sure, Mbappe is one of the planet's finest footballers and you'd be foolish to ignore him, but Aboukhlal is quick to point out that France's threat extends far beyond one superstar. Morocco will need to stay compact, defend as a unit, and crucially, be brave enough to make France do some defending of their own. You can't just survive against a team like Les Bleus; you have to make them uncomfortable.
The leadership void left by Romain Saiss's retirement has been filled by a council of lieutenants. Yassine Bounou brings calm and communication, Noussair Mazraoui offers composure and versatility, and captain Achraf Hakimi embodies what it means to represent Morocco. The new generation, led by the creative Brahim Diaz and the irrepressible Ismael Saibari, has added fresh dimensions to the attack, though Saibari's potential absence against France would be a significant blow.
Watching from home hasn't been easy for Aboukhlal, but his support for the squad is unwavering. He sees the quarter-final as a chance for Morocco to prove their 2022 run wasn't a one-off, that this program has genuine staying power at the highest level. A second consecutive semi-final wouldn't just be massive; it would confirm that Morocco are here to stay among the world's elite. And honestly, who would bet against them at this point?
