France Ends Morocco’s World Cup 2026 Dream Again with 2-0 Win

France secured a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup 2026 quarterfinal, with Kylian Mbappé scoring in the 60th minute and Olivier Dembélé sealing the win in the 66th. The result closes the door on Atlas Lions' semifinal hopes for the second time in a row. Last result: France 2-0 Morocco (July 9, 2026), following their second consecutive loss after a 1-1 draw against Canada in the group stage.

---

Who Scored? Mbappé and Dembélé Decide the Game

Mbappé opened the scoring in the 60th minute after Yassine Bounou saved a penalty attempt in the 28th minute—though the referee did not award it. Dembélé then added the second goal in the 66th minute, ensuring France’s dominance. Morocco struggled to break down France’s defense, which remained resolute throughout.

---

Why This Loss Hurts Morocco

This defeat is Morocco’s second consecutive loss in World Cup 2026, following their 1-1 draw against Canada in the group stage. Mbappé has been a constant threat, scoring in both previous meetings, pushing his World Cup record to 20 appearances, surpassing Hugo Lloris, who holds the previous mark of 19.

---

What’s Next for Morocco?

After this loss, Morocco will face Brazil in the third-place playoff, needing a strong performance to avoid a third consecutive defeat. Their recent form (1W-2D-2L, LLWDD) reflects the challenges they’ve faced in this tournament, despite their dominant qualifying campaign, where they topped Group E with a 5-0 win over Niger to become Africa’s first qualifier for World Cup 2026.

---

How Did Morocco Qualify for World Cup 2026?

Morocco secured their place in World Cup 2026 after a 5-0 victory over Niger in African qualifying, topping Group E. The qualification was historic, marking Morocco as the first African team to lock in a spot in the expanded 48-team tournament, sparking massive celebrations among Atlas Lions fans across the continent.

---

Morocco’s Biggest World Cup Win: 3-0 vs. Scotland (1998)

At the 1998 World Cup in France, Morocco recorded their biggest-ever World Cup victory with a 3-0 demolition of Scotland, thanks to two goals from Salah Eddine Bassir. However, the win wasn’t enough to advance, as Norway stunned Brazil in their final group game, leaving Morocco third in their group—just one point behind Norway and two behind Brazil.

---