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France signalled their readiness for a blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Morocco with a symbolic social media post featuring winger Michael Olise playing chess, as Les Bleus prepare for another high-stakes knockout battle on Thursday (local time).
Sharing a video of Olise deep in thought over a chessboard, the official France football team account on X posted, "Let the game begin. See you tonight." https://x.com/equipedefrance/status/2075135397311521198?s=20 The message reflected the tactical battle awaiting Didier Deschamps' side as they take on Morocco in a rematch of the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final, with a place in the last four at stake. France head into the contest as one of the tournament favourites after winning all five of their matches. Les Bleus topped Group I before overcoming Sweden and Paraguay in the knockout rounds, with captain Kylian Mbappe's penalty proving decisive in a hard-fought 1-0 Round of 16 victory over Paraguay. The two-time world champions have scored 13 goals during the tournament, boasting one of the competition's most dangerous attacking units featuring Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola. Young midfielder Desire Doue has also emerged as a key figure after winning the decisive penalty in the previous round. Olise has enjoyed an impressive tournament, registering five assists while also picking up one yellow card, establishing himself as one of France's chief creative outlets heading into the quarter-final. The match also marks another significant milestone for head coach Didier Deschamps, who is set to manage his 25th FIFA World Cup match, equalling Helmut Schon's long-standing record. The 1998 World Cup-winning captain, who will step down after the tournament, is also chasing his 20th victory as France coach on football's biggest stage. Standing in France's way are an increasingly confident Morocco side that continues to break new ground for African football. Ranked seventh in the world, Mohamed Ouahbi's men finished runners-up in Group C before defeating the Netherlands on penalties in the Round of 32 and dispatching co-hosts Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16. Midfielder Azzedine Ounahi starred against Canada with a second-half brace before substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a late third goal. Morocco arrive unbeaten in their last 10 matches since January's Africa Cup of Nations final and are aiming to secure a first-ever victory over France after failing to win any of their previous six meetings. Their only previous competitive encounter came in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, where France prevailed 2-0. The winners of Thursday's contest will book a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals, where either Spain or Belgium await. (ANI)
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