France continued their march toward a second FIFA World Cup title in eight years after beating Morocco 2-0 in Thursday's quarterfinal at World Cup 2026 to secure a place in the semifinals.
The 2018 champions produced a composed performance, scoring twice in six minutes in the second half to end Morocco's impressive tournament run and keep alive their hopes of lifting the trophy in North America.
France started brightly and controlled possession for long periods.
Their pressure led to several shots at goal and a penalty that Kylian Mbappé missed.
Yassine Bounou and his defence were kept busy as they had to deal with 13 total attempts in the first half alone.
Morocco, who had already eliminated several top teams and one of the co-hosts on their way to the last eight, looked toothless for most of the game.
The Atlas Lions were unable to create dangerous moments but they managed to keep Les Bleus out until halftime.
The African side pushed forward after the break in search of an the opener, but fell off again, leaving more space for France on the counterattack.
The 2022 runners-up made the most of one of those opportunities, scoring a two goals in six minutes midway through the second half to put the result beyond doubt.
France managed the closing stages comfortably, keeping possession and limiting Morocco's attacking chances as the final whistle confirmed their place in the last four.
The victory extends France's unbeaten run in the tournament and keeps them firmly on course for another World Cup crown. Morocco, meanwhile, leave the competition with their heads held high after another memorable campaign that captured the imagination of football fans around the world.
France will now face the winner of Friday's quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium for a place in the World Cup final.
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