Two goals in six second-half minutes. That was all France needed to dismantle Morocco and become the first nation into the 2026 World Cup semi-finals. The 2-0 victory in Boston on Thursday was clinical, dominant, and frankly hard to argue with. France had 22 attempts compared to just five from Morocco, who managed their only shot on target in the 83rd minute. This is not a team that flatters to deceive.
A generation that could rewrite French football history
Patrick Vieira knows a thing or two about winning World Cups with France. He was there in 1998, lifting the trophy after a 3-0 final victory over Brazil. So when he describes the current squad as one of the most gifted attacking generations he has ever seen, that carries real weight. Speaking on ITV Sport, he was unambiguous : “You have so many players, it is so unbelievable.” That is not hype. That is a man who lived through the last golden era making a direct comparison.
Didier Deschamps has managed Les Bleus since 2012, and this tournament marks his final chapter in charge. In 14 years, he guided France to the 2018 World Cup title and the 2022 final, where they fell to Argentina. He also led them to the Euro 2016 final (lost to Portugal) and the Euro 2024 semi-finals (beaten 2-1 by Spain). The man has consistently delivered deep runs. The question now is whether he can sign off with a third world title.
France began this tournament ranked third globally, behind Argentina and Spain. Yet Vieira is already looking past those rankings. His verdict on France versus Spain is blunt : “France are a better team today than they were four years ago. I don’t think Spain are a better team today than they were four years ago. I don’t see anybody stopping the French team going to the final.”
Mbappé, Dembélé and an attacking depth that terrifies opponents
Kylian Mbappé’s goal against Morocco was his eighth of the tournament, putting him level with Lionel Messi as top scorer. He currently leads the Golden Boot race thanks to a superior assist count. This came despite having a first-half penalty saved, which tells you something about his ability to reset mentally and still deliver. Ousmane Dembélé, the reigning Ballon d’Or holder, added the second goal to reach five tournament strikes.
That statistic places France in rare company. Only Brazil in 2002 previously had two players score five or more goals at the same World Cup, with Ronaldo finishing on eight and Rivaldo on five. France have now scored 16 goals in this tournament, more than any other team at this stage of the competition.
The attacking options go well beyond those two. Consider the depth Deschamps can call upon :
- Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
- Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
- Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
Former Scotland striker Pat Nevin put it plainly on BBC Radio 5 Live : “France are the best, most skilful, most dangerous attacking team in the tournament. They have more than one threat. They have two, three, four that are capable.” Ian Wright, before the Morocco game, had already called Deschamps’ side one of the most clear favourites for a World Cup he has ever seen. After the final whistle, his assessment only hardened : “It is difficult to see the weakness.”
Two wins from a third world title, but complacency is the real enemy
France have been practically flawless across six matches, defeating Senegal, Iraq, Norway, Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco without serious alarm. Their defensive record is equally striking. Here is a snapshot of their tournament so far :
| Opponent | Result | Goals scored | Goals conceded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senegal | Win | 3 | 1 |
| Norway | Win | 4 | 1 |
| Morocco | Win | 2 | 0 |
Across six games, France have conceded just twice. The goal against Norway came when their opponents had already qualified and rested most of their starting eleven. The defensive solidity combined with attacking firepower makes France uniquely difficult to game-plan against.
Roy Keane, never a man to dish out empty praise, acknowledged the scale of the challenge France pose : “Any chance of beating France, you have got to score the first goal. Even if they get the first goal, teams have to come at them, and they will pick you off for fun.” That is a fairly brutal summary of where every potential opponent stands.
The semi-final against Spain, should they beat Belgium, takes place in Dallas on Tuesday. France have not faced a truly elite side yet in this tournament, and that match will be the first genuine test of whether this generation can handle pressure from a team of similar quality. Nevin added a word of caution : “Sometimes when they have cruised to a win, they do take their eye off the ball.” Frankly, that is the only credible threat to France right now. Not Spain, not whoever comes next. Themselves. If Deschamps can keep the squad sharp and focused through the relative comfort of their run so far, there is nothing structurally stopping this squad from lifting the trophy on 19 July and justifying every superlative thrown at them.
