World Cup 2022 LIVE: Mbappe’s France take on Morocco for place in Qatar final against Messi’s Argentina
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France are looking to overcome tournament surprises Morocco in tonight’s World Cup semi-final in Qatar - with a place in the final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina lying in wait.
Didier Deschamps’ side knocked out England in the quarter-finals on Saturday evening and are firm favourties against a Morocco side who have stunned Spain on penalties and Portugal 1-0 in the knockout-phase so far, in doing so becoming the first team from Africa to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
The winner of tonight’s match at the Al Bayt Stadium will face Argentina after the South American champions comofortably beat Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday night, with Messi scoring from the penalty spot and Julian Alvarez netting twice.
“Well, what I can say is that I am enjoying this a lot,” 35-year-old Messi said with a smile after the match. “I am feeling really good. This is what we’ve been doing in every match. The previous match was a big sacrifice and we went into extra time. That wasn’t easy. Today we were tired but we pulled our strengths to earn this victory.”
Follow updates on the build-up to the World Cup semi-finals and all the latest news from Qatar 2022 below:
World Cup 2022: Latest news ahead of France vs Morocco
France won’t ‘fall into a trap’ against Morocco, Raphael Varane insists
Walid Regragui vows Morocco will fight to achieve ‘crazy’ World Cup dream
Lionel Messi thrilled after inspiring Argentina to World Cup final place
Argentina were comfortable 3-0 winners in their semi-final on Tuesday night
Walid Regragui: The ‘crazy’ coach who convinced Morocco to follow his World Cup dream
14:12 , Michael Jones
“You may say I am mad, crazy, but a bit of craziness is good,” Walid Regragui said. His has been a beautiful brand of madness for Morocco. His craziness has been catalytic. He is the dreamer who has changed a continent, the manager who talks about history and may alter footballing history forever.
In Morocco, Africa has its first World Cup semi-finalists. If the relentlessly demanding Regragui has his way, a man with a sense of boundless possibilities will be back again for more motivational speaking ahead of a still bigger game.
“We came into the tournament with great ambition to change mindsets in our continent,” he said. “If we say we are happy to reach the semi-final, many people would say that is a success but I don’t agree. We are one of the best four teams in the world now. Why not reach the final of the World Cup? I know we are not the favourites but we are very ambitious and hungry. We are determined to rewrite the history books. We want Africa to be on top of the world.”
Walid Regragui: The ‘crazy’ coach who convinced Morocco to follow his World Cup dream
Enjoying the Qatar World Cup? Here is the reality hiding in plain sight
14:02 , Michael Jones
It is a description that was almost overlooked at the time, but that Qatar was highly attuned to, and warrants mention every day of this World Cup.
“Consultations and reports in Qatar reveal that racial and ethnic stereotypes operate in both the public and private spheres, according to which, for example, sub-Saharan African men are presumed to be unsanitary, sub-Saharan African women are presumed to be sexually available, and certain South Asian nationalities are presumed unintelligent. The Special Rapporteur received credible reports that, on the other hand, North Americans, Europeans and Australians are presumed superior, and whites in general are presumed to be inherently competent in various contexts, such as hiring and promotion decisions.”
This all comes from the report written by Professor Tendayi Achiume, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, who is about as respected an authority as you can find on this area.
Her work was so sensitive for the Qatari state that, a week after her preliminary findings came out, they cancelled a visit planned by the UN Special Rapporteur on Slavery.
Enjoying the Qatar World Cup? Here is the reality hiding in plain sight
This is the side of the World Cup that Qatar would prefer you ignore
13:52 , Michael Jones
It is one of the regular moments of harsh reality that takes you out of the illusion that is this World Cup. As the taxi driver drops the group off, there is a sudden plea. It is not for a five-star rating.
“Can you give me a tip please?”, he asks. “I have no money to eat.”
The driver, of south Asian descent, sends almost everything he earns back to his family. This is supposed to be the long-awaited period when such workers can generate income due to the number of visitors to Qatar but here is another who is just starving.
Anyone who has been in Doha for the first week of this World Cup would have had many similar stories pass in front of their eyes. The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre said on Sunday that there had been six cases of migrant worker abuse reported in that time alone.
This is the side of the World Cup that Qatar would prefer you ignore, but that is unavoidable, given they are utterly essential to the running of this tournament.
This is the side of the World Cup that Qatar would prefer you ignore
World Cup security guard dies after fall at Lusail Stadium, say organisers
13:41 , Michael Jones
A security guard has died after a serious fall at a Qatar World Cup stadium, tournament organisers have said.
John Njau Kibue, 24, died at Lusail Stadium on Saturday (10 December), the morning after the venue hosted Argentina’s quarter-final against Netherlands.
Kibue’s employer notified the Kenyan’s sister, Ann Wanjiru, that the 24-year-old had fallen from the eighth floor of the stadium.
Wanjiru then told CNN: “We don’t have the money to get justice for him, but we want to know what happened.”
World Cup security guard dies after fall at Lusail Stadium
England’s shot at immortality fails to provide enduring World Cup memories, on or off the pitch
13:31 , Michael Jones
When Gareth Southgate spoke to the England players, some sensing a slight crack in his voice, the manager mostly praised how “brave” they’d been and how it was only a matter of time. He told them they’d “shown balls” in going toe to toe with the defending world champions, and proven themselves the superior side.
There could be few regrets about what had happened on the pitch because they’d left everything on it. Unlike Croatia 2018 or Italy in Euro 2020, England hadn’t been tactically or technically undone. They had actually got it right against France, and had the better of the wider game, if not – crucially – the fine details.
And yet it was precisely because they played better that England actually felt worse. There was a numbness in the dressing room. This was no longer about a journey, after all. It is about finishing one and finally getting there.
England’s shot at immortality fails to provide enduring World Cup memories
Will France reach the World Cup final?
13:22 , Michael Jones
Kylian Mbappe and his French team mates have been training hard since they defeated England in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The reigning world champions have the chance to do something few other teams have ever managed which is to reach the final in consecutive tournaments.
The last time a country won back-to-back World Cups was Brazil in 1962. Can France emulate them this during this campaign?
‘You don’t need to win World Cup,’ impassioned journalist tells Lionel Messi after Argentina win
13:10 , Michael Jones
An Argentinian journalist gave an impassioned speech to Lionel Messi after his man-of-the-match performance in Argentina’s World Cup semi-final win over Croatia, telling the football icon that his impact on people’s lives will always be a greater achievement than winning any trophy.
Messi was exceptional against Croatia, scoring a penalty and producing a magical assist for teammate Julian Alvarez as Argentina swept into the final with a 3-0 win. The 35-year-old will now get one last chance at winning the World Cup on Sunday against either France or Morocco, and a shot at redemption having lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany.
Journalist Sofia Martinez told Messi that bringing the home trophy would not change his status in Argentina.
‘You don’t need to win World Cup,’ impassioned journalist tells Lionel Messi
France won’t ‘fall into a trap’ against Morocco, Raphael Varane insists
12:59 , Kieran Jackson
Raphael Varane insists France will not “fall into the trap” of simply thinking a place in the World Cup final is theirs for the taking.
The defending champions are just two victories away from becoming the first side to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962 after reaching the semi-finals with a hard-fought win over England on Saturday.
Standing between them and a final against Argentina or Croatia are Qatar 2022 surprise package Morocco on Wednesday.
Les Bleus are strong favourites to get through but Varane is not taking anything for granted against a Morocco side who have conceded just one goal on their unexpected run to the last four.
The Manchester United centre-back said at a press conference: “We have a lot of experience and will not fall into the trap of thinking we’re favourites...”
France won’t ‘fall into a trap’ against Morocco, Raphael Varane insists
Hugo Lloris backs Harry Kane to recover from World Cup penalty miss
12:44 , Kieran Jackson
Hugo Lloris is confident Tottenham team-mate Harry Kane will continue to shine for club and country following his costly penalty miss in England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.
Goalkeeper Lloris is preparing for a semi-final showdown with Morocco after watching Kane blaze a late spot-kick over his crossbar during Les Bleus’ 2-1 win over Gareth Southgate’s side.
The France captain, who is bidding to lift the World Cup for the second successive tournament, conceded it has been difficult to console his long-term club-mate.
He believes striker Kane should be proud of his performances in Qatar and pointed to a host of other star names who have failed from 12 yards at important moments as he backed him to bounce back.
“We had a text after the game,” Lloris told a press conference. “But it was not easy to find the words straight after the game. I think he needed some rest. It’s a difficult time obviously for the English national team and for Harry but he can be proud for what he’s done for the national team during this World Cup.
“In football history many top players missed important penalties in their career. Players like Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, like Kylian Mbappe. But I have no doubt Harry will keep his chin up and he will help Tottenham and the national team to shine.”
Hugo Lloris backs Harry Kane to recover from World Cup penalty miss
The different thinking that has defined Morocco’s World Cup fairytale
12:30 , Kieran Jackson
By Miguel Delaney in Doha
It is the sort of counter-intuition that Walid Regragui has already become famous for, and could yet make him a historic figure in football. While almost everyone has been asking the Moroccan manager what his plan for Kylian Mbappe is, the former defender’s main concern is another area of the pitch.
Ahead of the World Cup semi-final against France, he has been working with Azzedine Ounahi on what is the most complicated role in the Morocco team, because the Angers midfielder constantly targets three different channels at once. That is very hard to defend against, and represents one of their main attacking outlets. It also forms a defensive role in itself because it can sufficiently confuse opposition sides to disrupt their coherence.
The idea is that Ounahi’s movement should give that French midfield behind Antoine Griezmann a lot to think about, all while Morocco’s own backline will be fully clear about their jobs.
Regragui, to a certain degree, knows his defence takes care of itself. This isn’t to say it’s all instinctive, or that there will be no idea for Mbappe. It’s quite the opposite.
It’s that Regragui has this defensive shape so well drilled that the players now innately know when to move, what spaces to fill. They so quickly go from a 4-1-4-1 to a 4-4-2 and even an 8-1-1.
Sofyan Amrabat is meanwhile the marshal on the pitch, setting everything. The crucial point with Morocco’s run is that this has now grown to something greater than just the technical or tactical.
The different thinking that has defined Morocco’s World Cup fairytale
MOROCCO’S ROUTE TO THE SEMI-FINALS
12:09 , Kieran Jackson
Morocco have stunned everybody to reach the final four of this World Cup, beating Belgium and Canada to top their group, as well as drawing to Croatia first up.
The African side then knocked out Spain in a penalty sho
ot-out before beating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday night to take their place as the first team from their continent to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
The question now is: could they pull off the biggest shock of all and knock the defending champions out - and reach the final?!
WORLD CUP ODDS
11:52 , Kieran Jackson
2022 World Cup winner
Argentina: 5/6
France: 13/10
Morocco: 11/1
Golden Boot winner
Kylian Mbappe: 8/11
Lionel Messi: 6/4
Olivier Giroud: 9/1
Julian Alvarez: 16/1
Walid Regragui vows Morocco will fight to achieve ‘crazy’ World Cup dream
11:44 , Kieran Jackson
Walid Regragui says Morocco will fight to achieve their “crazy” dream of a place in the World Cup final. Morocco have already made history as the first African team to reach the last four, having stunned Belgium, Spain and Portugal along the way.
On Wednesday the Atlas Lions face the ultimate test against reigning world champions France, but coach Regragui insists they are not satisfied with a place in the semi-finals.
“The further you get, the more difficult the games are. We are playing the world champions with world-class players and a very good coach, possibly the best in the world,” he said.
“But we will show great desire and try to pull off an upset. Why not reach the final of the World Cup? We’ve come to this competition to change mindsets within our continent. If we say the semi-final is enough, I don’t agree.
“We aren’t satisfied with the semi-final and being the first African team to do that. We want to go further. It’s a knock-out game and when you have desire, commitment and the support of the crowd, you can win it.”
Walid Regragui vows Morocco will fight to achieve ‘crazy’ World Cup dream
FRANCE’S ROUTE TO THE SEMI-FINALS
11:30 , Kieran Jackson
France topped group D by defeating Australia and Denmark in their opening two matches, before fielding something of a second XI as they lost to Tunisia in their final group match.
The 2018 champions comfortably beat Poland 3-1 in the last-16 before edging past England in the quarter-finals on Saturday evening.
Kylian Mbappe and Co are targeting their second straight appearance in a World Cup final.
How Antoine Griezmann reinvented himself as France’s midfield conductor
11:15 , Michael Jones
By Lawrence Ostlere in Doha
Antoine Griezmann’s preparation for this World Cup was unique.
Until October, Atletico Madrid used Griezmann for a maximum of 29 minutes per match. His loan contract dictated that if he made a certain number of 30-minute appearances then Atletico would owe his parent club Barcelona €40m, and they didn’t fancy paying up. So, before the dispute was resolved, Griezmann’s season began with precise bursts from the bench.
Arriving at the World Cup, his minutes this season read: 28, 28, 26, 27, 29, 27, 27, 90, 29, 90, 65, 90, 90, 90, 76, 90, 30, 90, 73, 90, 90.
If French medical staff were to design a plan for a 31-year-old midfielder going into a mid-season World Cup, you can imagine it would look something like this, gently simmering before bringing him to the boil.
By way of comparison, Harry Kane was cooked by Tottenham manager Antonio Conte. Kane started all of Tottenham’s 23 pre-World Cup games and finished 21 of those, totaling almost 2,000 minutes compared to Griezmann’s 1,264. Few players arrived in Qatar with as many miles on the clock as the England captain.
How Antoine Griezmann reinvented himself as France’s midfield conductor
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni insists it’s a ‘privilege’ to have Lionel Messi in his team
10:59 , Kieran Jackson
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni insists it is a “privilege” to have Lionel Messi in his team after his stunning performnace against Croatia on Tuesday.
On Messi: “Every time he plays it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates. There’s nothing left to say about Messi, it’s a privilege to have him.”
On taking his side to the final, he added: “It’s difficult to put this in words. This is what I’ve always dreamed of as an Argentinean. It is emotional and our people support us in a way which is unforgettable. We are making history.
“We’re celebrating because it’s something very exciting, but there’s still a step left. It’s a time to enjoy, but we already have to think about what’s to come.”
“This is a very wise squad. We know what to do in every second of the game. We knew the Croatians would have the ball possession but we knew this could be our strength. Sometimes they are disordered when they lose the ball and they left many spaces.”
Croatia depart as they progressed throughout the World Cup, controlled, calculated and with no cutting edge
10:49 , Kieran Jackson
By Mark Critchley in Doha
Take possession, take control. That has been the maxim that Croatian football has lived by, nine-tenths of the law that this improbably golden generation of players has built their unlikely success upon. But more like six-tenths, to be precise. This is a percentage game, you see, and quite literally so. If Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic have and hold the ball 60 per cent of the time or more, their opponents can only pick at and pierce through their teammates 40 per cent of the time or less.
It is a fair calculation, one that produces moments of truly masterful midfield play between a Croatian triumvirate that are arguably the best practitioners of possession play since Barcelona’s class of 2011. They find the points, lines and angles to keep what they believe is rightfully theirs, almost playing a game of their own to themselves. “When you pass them the ball it is safer than having your money in the bank,” says left-back Borna Sosa. It was a nice metaphor. But every so often, a bank goes bust.
Aesthetically pleasing it may be, but the mistake that an over-commitment to this approach makes is believing that possession equals control, when in fact it can only ever offer a close approximation. There are other percentage plays to make, other bets to take, ones that have a higher upside if they come off.
And crucially, there is a difference between having the ball and controlling a game. It is in those margins that such games against sides like Croatia are won and lost.
On their way to this World Cup 2022 semi-final, they fell on the right side of them. The nature of tournament football dictates that any team to reach this late stage has a slice of fortune along the way but Zlatko Dalic and his players have scoffed most of the cake. Even before the penalty shoot-out victories over Japan and Brazil in this knockout stage, there was Romelu Lukaku’s catalogue of misses as Belgium’s own golden generation crashed out. Had he scored any one of them, Croatia would have instead left early.
Croatia depart as they progressed: controlled and without cutting edge
France vs Morocco referee: Who is World Cup 2022 official Cesar Ramos?
10:29 , Kieran Jackson
Mexican referee Cesar Ramos is in charge of Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar.
Ramos has already officiated a game involving Morocco at this tournament, namely their 2-0 Group F win against Belgium, which put them on the cusp of qualification for the knockout-stages. The 38-year-old handed out two bookings in that match – one to each side.
Ramos also oversaw Portugal’s last-16 thrashing of Switzerland and Denmark’s group-stage draw with Tunisia. He has issued seven yellow cards across his three fixtures as a referee in Qatar, for an average of 2.3 a game.
The Mexican was the only referee from his country at the 2018 World Cup, and he officiated the 2017 Club World Cup final between Real Madrid and Gremio.
Who is the referee in charge of France vs Morocco?
10:11 , Kieran Jackson
By Richard Jolly in Qatar
Didier Deschamps was discussing the secret of his success. “There is no secret,” he said, providing the kind of answer to explain why someone who, in a few days’ time, could rank as the joint most successful manager in the history of the World Cup is rarely seen as any kind of coaching genius.
An understated figure has assessed a formidable CV while remaining relatively unheralded. Only two men have manager World Cup-winning sides, captained World Cup-winning teams, European Championship-winning and Champions League-winning teams: Franz Beckenbauer and Deschamps. The Frenchman was one of the first to win the European Cup with two clubs as a player; as a coach, he has taken Monaco to the final, an achievement that has stood the test of time, and France to the Euro 2016 final.
He has won the Nations League, which may or may not acquire more meaning in time. Now he could join Vittorio Pozzo, Italy’s coach in 1934 and 1938, as the only two-time World Cup-winning manager.
Is Deschamps an all-time great or a man who was in the right place at the right time? Both, perhaps. One of his closest allies, his captain for a decade, Hugo Lloris offered some insight. “He has of course tremendous experience as a player and a coach at international level,” the goalkeeper said. “He is calm and collected and transmits that to the players. He is an inspiration to the players. We have a great relationship between players and coach and it is not a coincidence he has been a coach for such a long time.”
Why isn’t Didier Deschamps seen as a coaching genius?
Is Gareth Southgate the right manager to turn exciting England into champions?
10:00 , Kieran Jackson
As Gareth Southgate boarded the flight from Doha on Sunday morning, he genuinely had no idea whether this was his last duty as England manager. He admitted in the immediate aftermath of the France defeat that he is “conflicted”. What was particularly striking was how he stated the boos at Molineux during the 4-0 defeat to Hungary earlier this year had got to him, and how he has found much of the last 18 months “difficult”.
Some who know Southgate now firmly believe he will go, that his “energy” for the job is at its limit.
It should be stressed that he did feel similar after Euro 2020, which he said still haunts him much more than the 2-1 quarter-final elimination on Saturday.
It is why he doesn’t want to make any decision over the next few days. Southgate knows that would be a mistake, and potentially lead to a “wrong call”. He instead wants to come back with a clear mind, and talk things through fully and rationally with the FA.
There is one thoroughly logical reason to stay. This squad is young yet experienced, and could well be in its proper prime by Euro 2024. It is tantalising. Players like Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham will be even more rounded than they are now, a tournament in Qatar where everyone among the England staff was so struck by the psychological leap they’d made since even Euro 2020.
The team are now so close, which even this defeat illustrated.
Is Gareth Southgate the right manager to turn exciting England into champions?
‘Everybody wanted us to lose’: Emi Martinez hails Argentina run to World Cup final
09:45 , Kieran Jackson
Emi Martinez insists “everybody wanted us to lose” after Argentina reached the World Cup final following a 3-0 win over Croatia.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper, who has been outspoken throughout the tournament in Qatar, kept another clean sheet at the Lusail Stadium.
Lionel Messi’s penalty and a double from Julian Alvarez was enough to book a place in Sunday’s final against the winner of France vs Morocco, with Martinez claiming there is a siege mentality in the Albiceleste’s group.
“I can’t believe it, we lost the first game and everything was upside down,” Martinez told beIN SPORTS. “People were doubting us, we lost the unbeaten run. Against Mexico in the first half it was sloppy. Everybody wanted us to lose, it’s us against the rest of the world.
“It’s just amazing, we feel the crowd on the streets, every time we play we feel like we are at home. We’re so happy to have them here.”
‘Everybody wanted us to lose’: Emi Martinez hails Argentina run to final
Luka Modric denied final masterpiece but departs World Cup stage with his greatness secured
09:27 , Kieran Jackson
By Richard Jolly in Qatar
His final contribution brought the ultimate indignity. The byword for precision was smacked in the face by his own shot. Admittedly, it ricocheted back off Alexis Mac Allister and there was little Luka Modric could do about it. The winner of the Golden Ball in the last World Cup nevertheless ended up with the ball in his face in this.
And that, bar a third-place play-off, was Modric’s final involvement on this stage. His number went up seconds after; in effect, the white flag had been raised with it. When the captain came off, it was all over for Croatia. They were 3-0 down. He had wrested back control of one World Cup semi-final, his every pass asserting control with a trademark blend of elegance and intelligence, but that was four years ago against England. There was no repeat. Modric can feel timeless, but his time is up in World Cups.
They all knew it, the Argentina fans who joined in the ovation when Lovro Majer replaced him, his former Real Madrid team-mate Angel Di Maria, who sought him out after the final whistle, the now retired Sergio Aguero who came to offer his condolences in the tunnel. Argentina had been graceless winners against the Netherlands in the quarter-final; when it came to Modric, however, they recognised greatness.
Perhaps it was the parallel with Lionel Messi, with the other old-timer in his final World Cup; flip the result and others would have commiserated with him. One way or another, sadness was a certainty.
Luka Modric departs World Cup stage with his status as an all-time great secured
Lionel Messi takes flight to deliver a piece of World Cup history
09:10 , Kieran Jackson
By Lawrence Ostlere at Lusail Stadium
Two hours before kick-off, fans milled up and down Lusail Boulevard in a hubbub of heart-pumping, stomach-gripping excitement. It is a wide street full of palm trees and bright shops and generic restaurants, a themepark of a place, and this so-called ‘city of the future’ felt like a weird location for some football history. But here they waited, outside McDonald’s and Nando’s and Sainsbury’s, wondering what the night had in store.
This was where Argentina’s destiny would be decided; or rather Lionel Messi’s, for that was who they’d come to see. It was the only way to explain why, beyond Argentina’s core of travelling supporters, thousands of local fans were here wearing Argentina shirts and draped in Argentinian flags. Inside the giant illuminated stadium, a group of young Arabic men took their seats wearing traditional Keffiyeh headdress coloured in the famous blue and white stripes. Thousands of people had come not really to see a World Cup semi-final, nor even to see a football match, as such. They’d come to see a moment.
Messi has his own gravitational pull, one which extends from the streets of Rosario to the bland boulevards of Lusail and far beyond. At one minute to 10pm in Doha, a posse of local volunteers rolled up the giant centre-piece covering the middle portion of the pitch and lugged it up on to their shoulders. As they prepared to march away, suddenly their heads began to spin to the left, one after another like dominos. There was Messi, a few feet across the grass, walking to his mark for the start of the World Cup semi-final.
There is a different feeling watching Messi now to any other time in his career. There is an urgency, an angst. Every touch carries more weight than before. Every match could be his last. Here he attracted everything - defenders, fans, cameras - except the ball. The match lasted 100 minutes from the first whistle to the last, and in between Messi only had control of the ball for a total of barely 60 seconds. Two seconds here, five there, and each little spell sent a surge of energy pulsating through the stadium.
Lionel Messi takes flight to deliver a piece of World Cup history
France won’t ‘fall into a trap’ against Morocco, Raphael Varane insists
08:59 , Kieran Jackson
Raphael Varane insists France will not “fall into the trap” of simply thinking a place in the World Cup final is theirs for the taking.
The defending champions are just two victories away from becoming the first side to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962 after reaching the semi-finals with a hard-fought win over England on Saturday.
Standing between them and a final against Argentina or Croatia are Qatar 2022 surprise package Morocco on Wednesday.
Les Bleus are strong favourites to get through but Varane is not taking anything for granted against a Morocco side who have conceded just one goal on their unexpected run to the last four.
The Manchester United centre-back said at a press conference: “We have a lot of experience and will not fall into the trap of thinking we’re favourites...
France won’t ‘fall into a trap’ against Morocco, Raphael Varane insists
The different thinking that has defined Morocco’s World Cup fairytale
08:41 , Kieran Jackson
By Miguel Delaney in Doha
It is the sort of counter-intuition that Walid Regragui has already become famous for, and could yet make him a historic figure in football. While almost everyone has been asking the Moroccan manager what his plan for Kylian Mbappe is, the former defender’s main concern is another area of the pitch.
Ahead of the World Cup semi-final against France, he has been working with Azzedine Ounahi on what is the most complicated role in the Morocco team, because the Angers midfielder constantly targets three different channels at once. That is very hard to defend against, and represents one of their main attacking outlets. It also forms a defensive role in itself because it can sufficiently confuse opposition sides to disrupt their coherence.
The idea is that Ounahi’s movement should give that French midfield behind Antoine Griezmann a lot to think about, all while Morocco’s own backline will be fully clear about their jobs.
Regragui, to a certain degree, knows his defence takes care of itself.
This isn’t to say it’s all instinctive, or that there will be no idea for Mbappe. It’s quite the opposite.
The different thinking that has defined Morocco’s World Cup fairytale
Walid Regragui vows Morocco will fight to achieve ‘crazy’ World Cup dream
08:28 , Kieran Jackson
Walid Regragui says Morocco will fight to achieve their “crazy” dream of a place in the World Cup final. Morocco have already made history as the first African team to reach the last four, having stunned Belgium, Spain and Portugal along the way.
On Wednesday the Atlas Lions face the ultimate test against reigning world champions France, but coach Regragui insists they are not satisfied with a place in the semi-finals.
“The further you get, the more difficult the games are. We are playing the world champions with world-class players and a very good coach, possibly the best in the world,” he said.
“But we will show great desire and try to pull off an upset. Why not reach the final of the World Cup? We’ve come to this competition to change mindsets within our continent. If we say the semi-final is enough, I don’t agree.
“We aren’t satisfied with the semi-final and being the first African team to do that. We want to go further. It’s a knock-out game and when you have desire, commitment and the support of the crowd, you can win it.”
Walid Regragui vows Morocco will fight to achieve ‘crazy’ World Cup dream
How Antoine Griezmann reinvented himself as France’s midfield conductor
08:12 , Kieran Jackson
By Lawrence Ostlere in Doha
Antoine Griezmann’s preparation for this World Cup was unique.
Until October, Atletico Madrid used Griezmann for a maximum of 29 minutes per match. His loan contract dictated that if he made a certain number of 30-minute appearances then Atletico would owe his parent club Barcelona €40m, and they didn’t fancy paying up. So, before the dispute was resolved, Griezmann’s season began with precise bursts from the bench.
Arriving at the World Cup, his minutes this season read: 28, 28, 26, 27, 29, 27, 27, 90, 29, 90, 65, 90, 90, 90, 76, 90, 30, 90, 73, 90, 90.
If French medical staff were to design a plan for a 31-year-old midfielder going into a mid-season World Cup, you can imagine it would look something like this, gently simmering before bringing him to the boil.
By way of comparison, Harry Kane was cooked by Tottenham manager Antonio Conte. Kane started all of Tottenham’s 23 pre-World Cup games and finished 21 of those, totaling almost 2,000 minutes compared to Griezmann’s 1,264. Few players arrived in Qatar with as many miles on the clock as the England captain.
How Antoine Griezmann reinvented himself as France’s midfield conductor
Argentina 3-0 Croatia - MATCH REPORT
07:56 , Kieran Jackson
By Miguel Delaney at the Lusail Stadium
In this regal third act, Lionel Messi has the rarest second chance. A player commonly recognised as the greatest ever will have another sacred opportunity to confirm that on Sunday.
Messi goes to a second World Cup final, having driven Argentina to their sixth. The force of such a word doesn’t really do justice to the display that was witnessed at the Lusail, which had the 35-year-old take command of the stage by so dazzlingly taking control of the ball.
The first goal of this commanding 3-0 win over a jaded Croatia reflected the focus that has characterised his World Cup, and made him its joint top scorer. The assist for the third - if it can even be reduced to such a term - reflected the mercurial mastery of a football that has characterised his entire career.
If all of this seems too focused on Messi, just as a great football nation returns to the greatest stage, it is only because the Argentina players would say the same. They talk of how he has fired them through this World Cup, with the will to win it for him also uniting the team even more.
Qatar’s immoral World Cup may yet have an immortal story. That’s what they hosted it for.
Lionel Messi stars as Argentina sweep past Croatia into World Cup final
Lionel Messi thrilled after inspiring Argentina to World Cup final place
07:36 , Kieran Jackson
Lionel Messi beamed with pride after his magical display inspired Argentina to a resounding victory against Croatia and secured their place in the World Cup final.
One of the greatest players in football history, the 35-year-old put in a man-of-the-match display in Tuesday’s Lusail Stadium semi-final against the 2018 runners-up. Messi converted a first-half spot-kick and watched Julian Alvarez end a strong solo run with a cool finish, before the skipper showed incredible nous and skill to tee up the Manchester City forward to wrap up a 3-0 win.
Argentina will return to Lusail to face France or Morocco on Sunday, when their captain can crown a glittering career with glory in what looks set to be his last appearance on the world stage.
“Well, what I can say is that I am enjoying this a lot,” 35-year-old Messi said with a smile. “I am feeling really good. This is what we’ve been doing in every match. The previous match was a big sacrifice and we went into extra time. That wasn’t easy. Today we were tired but we pulled our strengths to earn this victory.
“We played very well. We knew that we would play this way. We prepared this a lot because we knew they wouldn’t have the ball because we would need to run in this match and then keep our chances. So, as I say, I think we prepared this match in a very good way, as we always do. And, personally, I can say that I feel very happy in this whole World Cup. I am enjoying it a lot and luckily enough I am able to help my whole squad to make things happen.”
Messi is at his fifth World Cup and was part of the Argentina side that lost the 2014 final in extra time to Germany at the Maracana.
Lionel Messi thrilled after inspiring Argentina to World Cup final place
