Picture : Michael Olise and France in semi final !
World Cup 2026 Statistics – Day 29 (July 9) – Quarter-final
France vs Morocco 2-0
*This was only the second time in World Cup history that Morocco lost to a European nation by a margin of more than one goal; the previous instance was also a 0-2 against France (in 2022).
*France has won their last 8 competitive matches, marking their best winning streak since the period between September 2002 and June 2004 (14 wins).
*France have kept three consecutive clean sheets at the World Cup for the first time in their history.
*France will play in the World Cup semi-finals for the eighth time in their history. Only Germany (12) has reached this stage more often (Brazil also have 8).
*France have reached the top four for the third consecutive World Cup. Only two other national teams have achieved this in the entire history of the World Cup:
Germany: 3 times (1966 to 1974, 1982 to 1990, and 2002-2014, the latter being four editions in a row)
Brazil: 2 times (1970 to 1978 and 1994 to 2002).
*Three players from the current France squad have reached their third consecutive World Cup semi-final: Mbappé, Dembélé, and Lucas Hernández (2018, 2022, and 2026).
The record is held by Miroslav Klose, who appeared in four semi-finals in a row with Germany (2002 to 2014).
*Didier Deschamps is the second coach at the World Cup to reach at least semi-finals in three consecutive tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026), following Helmut Schön with Germany (1966, 1970, 1974).
*Deschamps held his 25th World Cup match as France’s coach, equalling Helmut Schön’s record for the most matches managed in the competition.
*Désiré Doué became the second-youngest player (21 years and 1 month old) to start a World Cup quarter-final for France, behind Kylian Mbappé (19 years and 6 months).
*Warren Zaïre-Emery is only the second player since 1998 to make his debut for “Les Bleus” in a World Cup knockout-stage match, following Florian Thauvin in 2018 (against Argentina in the Round of 16).
*Mbappé’s penalty became the 6th missed at this World Cup (after Messi 2, Taremi, Bruno Guimarães, and Strand Larsen).
*France had successfully converted their last 17 penalties across all competitions since Benzema’s miss against Wales on 2 June 2021. The streak has now ended.
*Yassine Bounou is the 4th goalkeeper to save a penalty at this World Cup (after Shobeir 2, Maignan, and Nyland).
*Bounou is the first Moroccan goalkeeper to save a penalty in World Cup history (excluding penalty shootouts).
*Bounou has prevented 7 goals from penalties (including shootouts) at the World Cup: more than any other goalkeeper in the competition’s history (the next goalies after him have 5 prevented attempts).
Bono has conceded only 2 of the 9 penalties faced (4 saved, 3 off-target).
*No goalkeeper has saved more World Cup penalties (including shoot-outs) than Bounou (4).
*Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi is the second-youngest player (18 years 280 days) to play in a World Cup quarter-final.
The youngest is Pelé in 1958 for Brazil vs Wales (17 years 239 days).