This should be a really entertaining tie between two sides who have shown plenty of quality in the final third at the World Cup.

France have scored in all five of their matches, netting multiple goals in four of these games. They have kept clean sheets against the likes of Sweden, Paraguay and Iraq but did concede to both Norway and Senegal. 

I think that Morocco can cause this France side issues, particularly in the wide areas as the fullbacks in Didier Deschamps’ side are the weak point in this France team. 

Prior to the World Cup starting, France failed to keep a clean sheet in five consecutive matches - showing that Deschamps’ side can be more vulnerable at the back against a team with the attacking quality of Morocco.

Morocco have also scored in all five of their matches, netting three against Canada last time out seeing BTTS in three of their games. They can score all kinds of goals and have developed really well from the side that was mainly defensively focused at the last World Cup.

Morocco have covered this shot on target line in four of their five matches, with the exception of their 1-0 win over Scotland which was a game where Steve Clarke’s side set up with the sole task of keeping Morocco out.

France will give them space when they come forward, Morocco were very effective at making the most of fast breaks against Canada last time out and have the attacking quality to trouble this France backline and test Maignan as well. 

Morocco have had 4+ shots on target in both of their knockout matches so far against Canada and Netherlands, so they’re comfortable when it comes to performing at this level too having reached the semi finals of the World Cup back in 2018.

It’s quite astounding that Michael Olise is yet to score at the World Cup given the volume of chances he’s had. 

He came very close to a spectacular effort against Sweden in the Round of 32 with his bicycle kick coming crashing back off the post.

That strike is one of 14 that Olise has taken at the World Cup across his five starts (3.17 per 90), seeing five of these efforts find the target (1.13 per 90). 

He’s been playing more centrally for France at this tournament with Ousmane Dembele sent to play on the right wing which has brought a nice balance to this France side.

That was always going to be the main challenge for Didier Deschamps at this tournament and he’s got the balance in forward areas spot on so far. 

Olise can act as a shot threat in central areas again for France in this encounter, having also maintained an average of 1.05 shots on target per 90 during qualifying.

It’s part of the reason why I think this France backline could be tested by a Morocco side who are very clever when it comes to putting together rotations in the final third.

They will drag France’s centre backs out of position at times with the way they manipulate the ball and Upamecano is exactly the type of player who could get sucked into this scenario.

Upamecano has committed five fouls across his five starts at the World Cup (1.03 per 90) and is generally more aggressive than Saliba, his centre back partner. 

His main opponent here is likely to be Sofiane Rahimi who averaged 2.28 fouls won per 90 during the most recent domestic campaign for Al Ain and will relish the physical duel with Upamecano.

Achraf Hakimi is one of the most attacking fullbacks, if not the most attacking fullback, in the world and has been pushing forward regularly for his nation at this World Cup.

Hakimi basically acts as an extra player in the final third for Morocco, he’s their main outlet and allows them to make the pitch very wide which is useful for the African side when coming forward in transition - which they did to devastating effect against Canada last time out. 

Hakimi has taken 13 shots across his five starts at the World Cup (2.44 per 90) which is the most of any Moroccan player so far, three more than the now injured Ismael Saibari who was leading the line for Morocco prior to his setback. 

That shot volume and ranking within the squad shows just how forward thinking Hakimi can be and I think he’ll be able to venture forward again at times here. He’s also on free kicks which could present another avenue to a shot.

This selection has landed in all five of Hakimi’s appearances at the World Cup.

The fullback has won 3+ fouls in two of these games and will offer a real threat to France down his side of the pitch as a forward thinking fullback who has had more shots than any other Moroccan player at the World Cup. 

Hakimi also averaged 1.83 fouls won per 90 for Morocco during qualifying and will be up against Bradley Barcola and Lucas Digne who are committing 2.05 fouls per 90 between them at the tournament.

Michael Olise has been brilliant for France at this World Cup, notably setting up more goals than any other player (5) and operating in a central role which gives him a really good chance of winning a few fouls in this contest.

Olise has won nine fouls across his five starts (2.04 per 90) and has been fouled at least once in all of these games - winning 2+ fouls in three of these matches. He’ll be up against a Moroccan midfield consisting of Ounahi, Bouaddi and El Aynaoui who are committing 3.17 fouls per 90 between them at the World Cup.

El Aynaoui is clearly the most aggressive component of Morocco’s midfield trio and has committed 2+ fouls in three of his five matches, committing 4+ fouls in two of these games.

This takes his average to the tournament to 2.09 fouls per 90, far higher than his midfield partner in Bouaddi (0.56 per 90). This suggests that we can expect El Aynaoui to be the main aggressor against Michael Olise, who we’ve also taken as part of this foul acca, so it’s a bit of a match up in the middle of the park.

Upamecano has committed five fouls across his five starts at the World Cup (1.03 per 90) and is generally more aggressive than Saliba, his centre back partner. 

His main opponent here is likely to be Sofiane Rahimi who averaged 2.28 fouls won per 90 during the most recent domestic campaign for Al Ain and will relish the physical duel with Upamecano.

Ousmane Dembele is finally performing in a French shirt. 

He’d previously struggled in the national team set up, often being forgotten or lost in a sea of talented France forwards but is now one of the main players in this France front line and he’s looked extremely dangerous at the World Cup, coming in from the right wing.

Dembele has scored four goals across his five starts at the World Cup, with three of those coming against Norway in the group stages. That sort of performance shows how deadly Dembele can be, especially when he’s playing with the sort of confidence we’re seeing at the moment.

Dembele has scored 20+ goals in each of the last two seasons for PSG and is benefiting from a balanced attack put together by Didier Deschamps which sees Olise stay more central and free up room for Dembele over on the right wing.

If Morocco are going to come through this tie, Brahim Diaz is likely to play a starring role.

He’s arguably the most talented player in this Morocco side and has been brilliant at the World Cup - setting up four goals across his five starts, a tally that has so far only been beaten by Michael Olise who lines up on the opposite side here.

Diaz is really good at picking the right pass at the final stage of an attacking move, that’s what he did for both of his assists against Canada last time out and is a scenario that is likely to develop again here with Morocco mainly getting their attacking joy in moments of transition.

Morocco can score all types of goals now which makes them a real threat on the international stage. 

This includes offering a real threat from set pieces with the likes of Diop and Rahimi offering an aerial presence. Morocco are averaging 5.00 corners per game at the World Cup, managing 4+ corners in three of their five matches.

They do play with a lot of width, so their attacking moments are likely to come through the wide areas - particularly down the right hand side of the pitch where Morocco have Diaz and Hakimi who can get the better of Lucas Digne at times. 

Morocco also averaged 5.13 corners per game during qualifying, so this is a pretty consistent part of their game and this line is quite low so it’s appealing to take at the price.

I think this will be an entertaining tie with chances at both ends but France look just that bit too strong for a Morocco side who have become the first ever African side to reach back to back quarter finals at the World Cup.

France have won all five of their matches, scoring 3+ goals in four of these games and only conceding against Senegal and Norway in the group stages. I think Morocco will be their biggest test so far, and also manage to get on the scoresheet, but it’s impossible to deny the attacking quality of this France side who look really balanced in forward areas with the trio of Dembele, Mbappe and Olise.

Mbappe is an obvious pick to be amongst the goals here, he’s scored in four of his five World Cup matches and has scored 2+ goals in three of these games. He’s scored 11 goals in the knockout stages of the World Cup across his career, three more than any other player in the history of the competition.