The Blues will face Argentina in the final on Sunday (4:00 p.m.) in Doha, in a match where the two selections will seek to win their third world star, and where Lionel Messi will play the last match of the World Cup of his career.

Despite their early advantage, the reigning world champions suffered for two-thirds of the game, before incoming Randal Kolo Muani gave them a clear advantage (2-0).

The former Nantes player had previously only played "the hairdressers' match", lost against Tunisia in the last group match.

After having disposed of Poland (3-1) in the round of 16, then suffered but won the shock against England (2-1) in the quarter, the Blues were still on a thread for a large part of the match against the Atlas Lions, but prevailed.

On his first ball, Randal Kolo Muani (in the center) scored the second goal of the 2-0 victory for the French team on December 14, 2022 in the semi-final of the World Cup against Morocco © Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP/Archives

As against the Three Lions, the Blues trembled to the end, pressed on the left side, that of Théo Hernandez, still very friable.

But each time, a leg, a foot, a French head was able to repel the offensive.

The greatest merit of the players of Didier Deschamps was undoubtedly to succeed where everyone had failed: to break through the hitherto infallible defense of Morocco.

From the fifth minute, Théo Hernandez found himself in the right place at the right time to conclude, at close range and in an acrobatic way, an action initiated by Varane and Griezmann (1-0).

Unusual scenario for Morocco

Olivier Giroud even almost doubled the bet, alone after an error of judgment by Moroccan captain Romain Saïss, but his shot hit the post (17th).

The plan would then have been perfect, as imagined by captain Hugo Lloris before the meeting: "We have to attack hard and try to break through this Moroccan wall as quickly as possible", he had wished.

But contrary to what the French goalkeeper probably hoped, Morocco was not destabilized by this opener, a scenario he had never encountered in the World Cup.

Walid Regragui's players had control of the game, possession of the ball, and provided themselves with a number of scoring opportunities.

The most beautiful of them was undoubtedly this acrobatic volley from Jawad el-Yamiq, which Lloris deflected on his post just before half-time (44th).

Throughout the match, the player with the most caps with France (144) repelled Moroccan attempts, as an exemplary captain, just like Ibrahima Konaté, who admirably replaced Dayot Upamecano in the starting lineup.

Upamecano and Rabiot could not play, weakened by a cold snap.

The Moroccans did not score, despite a very clear last chance saved by Jules Koundé on his line.

Despite, too, their desire and the cheers of the whole stadium for the last African selection still in the running in the first planetary tournament organized in the Arab world, which "wanted (...) to put Africa on the roof of the world ", according to coach Walid Regragui.

Its players will still go down in the history of the competition for having been the first team from the African continent to reach the semi-finals.

They will face Croatia on Saturday for third place.

Eighth world champion to reach the semi-finals in the following edition, France hopes to take over from Brazil Pelé, the last selection to have achieved the double (1958 then 1962).

© 2022 AFP