Clash for Final Spot at 4 AM on the 15th
Mbappe vs Hakimi: Same-Age 'Best Friends' Showdown in Focus
After winning against Poland in the Round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, French national football team players Kylian Mbapp? (right) and Olivier Giroud celebrate. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] France, aiming for a second consecutive World Cup title, will clash with Morocco, the African nation that made history by reaching the semifinals for the first time.
France and Morocco will play the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup semifinal at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor at 4 a.m. on the 15th (Korean time). The defending champion France and Morocco, the protagonist of the African sensation, each aim to write a new chapter in history.
France aiming for the third consecutive World Cup title in history
France is aiming for back-to-back World Cup victories. Having won the 2018 Russia World Cup, if France wins again this time, they will become the first team in 60 years since Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) to achieve consecutive titles.
France's attack is led by two prolific scorers. Kylian Mbappe (24, Paris Saint-Germain) leads the Golden Boot (top scorer) category with 5 goals in this tournament. He has been named Player of the Match (POTM) in 3 of the 5 games France has played. With a total of 9 World Cup goals, he has surpassed the record of 7 goals before age 24 held by football legend Pel?.
Olivier Giroud (36, AC Milan) is also showing explosive goal-scoring ability. Giroud, who broke the record for most goals in the French national team A matches, is tied for second place with 4 goals. Antoine Griezmann (31, Atl?tico Madrid), who provides passes to these players from midfield, is also world-class.
Youssef En-Nesyri (center, Sevilla) celebrating with teammates after scoring in the 42nd minute of the first half against Portugal in the Round of 16. Photo by Yonhap News
Morocco challenges to become the first African nation to reach the World Cup final
Morocco has created a sensation by becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup semifinals. Morocco boasts a steel defense, conceding only one goal (while scoring 5) in 5 matches up to the quarterfinals. That single goal was an own goal, meaning no team has scored against Morocco in this World Cup.
World-class full-back Achraf Hakimi (24, Paris Saint-Germain) also possesses attacking prowess. Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (31, Sevilla) plays a key role in defense with his incredible shot-stopping ability. He led Morocco to a 3-0 victory in the penalty shootout against Spain by saving shots from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets. He is one of the strong candidates for the Golden Glove (best goalkeeper award) in this tournament.
Hakimi (left) and Mbappe share not only the same age but also the common background of being second-generation African immigrants. Photo by Yonhap News
Mbappe and Hakimi, same-age 'close friends' face off in World Cup semifinals
Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi, the key players leading France and Morocco respectively, were both born in 1998 and are 24 years old this year. They have played together at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) since 2021. When forward Mbappe scores a goal, he performs a pre-planned celebration with Hakimi. They are close friends who casually joke with each other even during training sessions.
Mbappe and Hakimi also share the common background of being second-generation African immigrants. Mbappe was born to a Cameroonian football coach father and an Algerian mother but grew up in Paris, France. Hakimi was born in Madrid, Spain, but his parents are Moroccan. Unlike Mbappe, who chose to represent France, Hakimi chose Morocco, his parents' homeland.
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