The World Cup writes a new chapter in the clashes between Morocco's senior football team and its French counterpart when they meet again in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup next Thursday, after the historic clash that brought them together in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition in Qatar. Memory returns to the enchanting Doha night at Al Bayt Stadium in front of nearly 70,000 fans when France stopped the 'Atlas Lions' exciting adventure with a 2-0 victory, after an unprecedented Moroccan run reaching the semi-finals as the first Arab and African team to reach this stage in history. The 'Roosters' retain the scorer of the first goal from that match, Theo Hernandez, now a left-back for Al Hilal. As for winger Kolo Muani, scorer of the second goal, he is out of French coach Didier Deschamps' plans. In the French camp, Deschamps kept the main squad that played the 2022 World Cup final with 13 names present. The faces that the 'Roosters' coach preferred to retain included Mike Maignan, Brice Samba, Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Theo Hernandez, Lucas Hernandez, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot, N'Golo Kanté, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Marcus Thuram. On the other side, only seven players from the 'old guard' of Moroccans remain in that list: Yassine Bounou, Al Hilal's goalkeeper, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Noussair Mazraoui, Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, and Ilias Chair. Among the most notable changes made by the Moroccan team is placing trust in Mohamed Wahbi, the under-20 team coach, who won the World Cup in the same category, succeeding former coach Walid Regragui. The 'Atlas Lions' did not reach this great night on a bed of roses; rather, they carved their way through heavy tests, facing different schools and great challenges, and succeeded each time in achieving a positive result that set up a date with the giants against the French. The Moroccan team began their World Cup journey with a strong match against Brazil, the five-time world champion, presenting a great performance and coming out with a 1-1 draw against the kings of football. In the second round, they defeated Scotland 1-0 to secure their ticket to the round of 32. In the final stage of the group stage, they overcame Haiti 4-2. In the knockout rounds, the 'Atlas Lions' fought an epic battle against the Netherlands that extended into extra time after a 1-1 draw, and then to penalty kicks which ended in their favor 3-2, with Bounou, the Saudi Al Hilal goalkeeper, shining. Then they defeated Canada 3-0 to book a spot among the top eight teams in the biggest football tournament. On the other side, France managed to instill fear in the hearts of their opponents after the results they achieved in the group stage: a 3-1 win over Senegal, a 3-0 victory over Iraq, and finally securing top spot with a 4-1 win over Norway. Mbappé's teammates did not stop showcasing their attacking power after a 3-0 win over Sweden in the round of 32, followed by a match against Paraguay, where they settled for a single goal against a defensive solidity that caused the elimination of Germany, the four-time world champion. When the referee blows the starting whistle, Morocco will enter the match seeking revenge and redemption for the Doha loss, while France aims to renew their superiority and reach the semi-finals for the second consecutive time at the expense of the 'Atlas Lions'.