France v Morocco betting tips and prediction
France will look to continue their march towards a third FIFA World Cup title when they face Morocco in a blockbuster quarter-final at Gillette Stadium in Boston on Thursday night.
Didier Deschamps’ side have been the standout team of the tournament, winning all five matches while scoring 14 goals and conceding just twice. Their progress to the last eight was anything but straightforward, however, as Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay.
Morocco have once again captured the imagination of the football world after becoming the only African nation left in the competition. The Atlas Lions backed up their remarkable 2022 World Cup run by dismantling Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 to book another quarter-final appearance.
France are priced at 1.28 to defeat Morocco (3.890), while the draw is paying 4.00 with betting sites. Les Bleus remain deserved favourites, but Morocco have now gone 34 consecutive internationals without defeat in normal time and have shown they can frustrate even the world’s elite sides.
The nations meet again after France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, denying the Atlas Lions a place in history after they became the first African nation to reach the final four.
France possess arguably the strongest squad remaining in the tournament, with Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise spearheading an attack capable of overwhelming any defence when given space.
Morocco will again rely on discipline, organisation and quick transitions through Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz and Soufiane Rahimi, knowing they are likely to spend long periods without possession against the tournament favourites.
Everything points towards another tense knockout battle, with France chasing another World Cup crown and Morocco aiming to produce one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Below we run through the latest France and Morocco team news, present our free France vs Morocco betting tips and give our match prediction.
France team news
Aurelien Tchouameni is pushing to return after missing the victory over Paraguay with a groin complaint. Didier Deschamps said the Real Madrid midfielder had improved and could resume full training before the quarter-final, although Manu Kone performed well in his absence.
Mbappe remains France’s biggest weapon after taking his tournament tally to seven goals with the winning penalty against Paraguay. Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola are expected to support him again, although Desire Doue is pressing for a starting role after impressing from the bench throughout the tournament.
Mike Maignan has been outstanding between the posts, while William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano continue to anchor one of the strongest defences at the World Cup.
France’s expected lineup: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe.
Morocco team news
Morocco have suffered a major blow with star attacker Ismael Saibari ruled out after injuring his hamstring during the 3-0 win over Canada. The Bayern Munich-bound playmaker has been one of the tournament’s standout performers and his absence leaves a significant hole in Morocco’s attack.
Soufiane Rahimi is expected to come into the starting side, while Achraf Hakimi will again be crucial with his overlapping runs from right-back. Chadi Riad is also expected to return in central defence after missing the Round of 16.
Morocco’s expected lineup: Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Rahimi.
France vs Morocco odds
Match Result
- France1.56
- Draw3.90
- Morocco6.50
Anytime Goalscorer
- Kylian Mbappe1.85
- Ousmane Dembele2.75
- Michael Olise3.20
- Soufiane Rahimi4.75
- Brahim Diaz5.00
Total Goals 2.5
- Over 2.5 Goals2.00
- Under 2.5 Goals1.80
Method Of Victory
- France Win in Regular Time1.56
- Morocco Win in Regular Time6.50
- France Win in Extra Time9.00
- France Win in Penalty Shoot-Out12.00
- Morocco Win in Penalty Shoot-Out13.00
- Morocco Win in Extra Time18.00
France vs Morocco betting tips
WGL’s football betting expert has analysed the quarter-final and found two betting angles worth considering.
Kylian Mbappe anytime goalscorer
Mbappe has already scored seven goals at this World Cup and continues to be France’s primary attacking outlet. Whether from open play or the penalty spot, he consistently finds himself in dangerous positions and looks the standout anytime goalscorer selection. He is paying around 1.85 to score with Betway.com, which looks narrow, but does offer some value given his output at this tournament.
Under 2.5 total goals
Knockout football often becomes cagey and Morocco have built their success on defensive organisation. France are happy to control possession once ahead, making another low-scoring contest look the most likely outcome despite the quality on display. Under 2.5 goals looks likely at 1.85.
France vs Morocco prediction
Morocco have enjoyed another magnificent tournament and will make life difficult for France with their compact defensive shape and dangerous counter-attacking game. However, losing Saibari is a huge blow against the strongest team left in the competition. France have the tournament’s deepest squad, more match-winners across the pitch and the experience of handling knockout football. Expect Morocco to frustrate Les Bleus early before France’s attacking class eventually proves decisive. We’re going to punt on Mbappe to score and Les Bleus to win, which might seem obvious, but he is just such a dominant force and we think his team is in the box seat to win the World CUp.
Our final France vs Morocco prediction: France win 2-0.
