Former Al-Hilal player and Moroccan star Salah Eddine Bousir predicted that his country's national football team's match against France on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup will be one of the strongest matches of the tournament, stressing that the 'Atlas Lions' have the ability to achieve a positive result if they maintain their physical readiness and capitalize on the opportunities that will come against an opponent with great experience and high attacking potential, in a special interview with Al-Riyadiya. Bousir, who played 59 international matches for Morocco, scoring 37 goals, and was one of the stars of the 1998 World Cup when he scored two goals against Scotland, said: 'I expect a very strong match, because both teams have delivered outstanding performances since the group stage and deserved to qualify. The Moroccan team has proven that what they achieved in the 2022 World Cup was not a coincidence, but rather the fruit of a long-term effort that is beginning to yield results, as we have seen in recent matches against strong teams.' He added: 'I am optimistic about the Moroccan team's ability to achieve a positive result, but on condition that the players are in the best physical condition, as they were in the matches against the Netherlands and Brazil, because fitness will be a decisive factor in such a match.' Bousir warned of the offensive strength of the French team, saying: 'The French team needs no introduction, and it has world-class players like Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, distinguished by great attacking efficiency. Therefore, the Moroccan team must exploit the opportunities it gets, because such matches are decided by details.' He explained that high pressing requires balance, adding: 'If we overdo pressing the French team, we will leave spaces behind our lines, which the opponent is good at exploiting through the speed of their attackers. The solution is to close the midfield, cut off supply lines to the attackers, while relying on appropriate timing for pressing and counter-attacks.' Bousir pointed out that one of the most prominent differences between the two teams is the depth of the bench, saying: 'France has substitutes almost at the same level as the starting players, while Morocco has good substitutes, but they do not have the same international experience.' The former Moroccan star stressed that focus will be the most important factor in deciding the match, concluding: 'Focus must continue from the first minute to the last, because the French team is capable of exploiting half chances. If the Moroccan team succeeds in capitalizing on its chances and scoring, it will be able to control the match and come closer to achieving qualification.'