Ahead of France's World Cup quarter-final against England, much was made of the battle between Kylian Mbappe and Kyle Walker, but the semi-final meeting with Morocco star Achraf Hakimi will be just as much of a test for the tournament's leading scorer.
Mbappe has scored five goals in Qatar, including two in the last-16 victory over Poland. He drew a blank against England, though, and Hakimi - like Manchester City defender Walker - is a rapid full-back with an attacking threat who will hope to neutralise one of France's main threats.
“He knows Mbappe better than me, he trains with him every day,” Morocco boss Walid Regragui said of the right-back. “I’m sure he’s better placed than me to know Kylian. I’m not going to set up any tactical plan to counter Mbappe."
The added bit of spice to this match-up comes with Hakimi and Mbappe friends and team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain. They'll be anything but friends for 90 minutes or more at Al Bayt Stadium, though, and it makes for one of the more intriguing battles with only one of France and Morocco able to reach the final.
As recognised by Marca, Mbappe and Hakimi are "inseparable" in the PSG dressing room. Their friendship goes beyond the day-to-day with their club, though, with the French forward visiting his club colleague on a day off between their respective countries' last-16 victories.
Both played a big part in those wins, Mbappe with his second-half double and Hakimi with the match-winning penalty against Spain, the country of his birth. The celebration which followed that Panenka, the 'penguin', was an allusion to an in-joke shared with Mbappe by Hakimi and team-mate Sergio Ramos.
The pair also shared messages of support to one another once their semi-final meeting was confirmed. Their closeness is emphasised by the fact that Hakimi knew before most others that Mbappe would be extending his stay at PSG rather than joining Real Madrid, a club where Hakimi and Ramos both spent time.
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Morocco's run to the semi-finals has been ground-breaking, with Walid Regragui's side becoming the first ever African nation to get this far. They have done so off the back of a solid defence, only conceding once all tournament, and Mbappe is well aware of what his friend - and the rest of the Atlas Lions' squad - can do after shutting out Croatia, Belgium, Spain and Portugal and only conceding an own goal against Canada.
"He knew what we were capable of," Hakimi told Marca before the Spain game. "We always talk because with friends you always talk, we are always in contact and playing.
"I do think he is comfortable. People talk a little too much. They don't know him, he's a good boy and he's comfortable. He also wants to do great things with his team and he is super pleased."
It's not just a case of Hakimi against Mbappe, of course. England right-back Walker kept the PSG star off the scoresheet in the quarter-final, but goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud were enough to send Les Bleus into the final four.
“Unfortunately, France has a lot of other good players, (Antoine) Griezmann between the lines, (Ousmane) Dembele is also the perfect complement to Mbappe on the other wing," Regragui admitted (via The Athletic ). "Hakimi is one of the best in the world at his position too. They are both champions, both world class players.
“We shouldn’t be focusing on Kylian, but what we can do to cause problems for France. I have no doubt that Hakimi will be on top form to get the better of his friend.”
After winning their quarter-final, France became outright favourites to win the World Cup. Fellow contenders Brazil and Portugal fell by the wayside, with the latter becoming just the latest side to draw a blank against Morocco, and Mbappe will now need to do what no other opponent has done this tournament and breach the Atlas Lions' defence.
That's a defence which has stood firm despite personnel changes throughout the tournament. Hakimi is the only member of the back four to start every game, while goalkeeper Bono also missed one match, and the result in Al Khor could hinge on who is fit to start for Regragui's side.
Noussair Mazraoui and Nayef Aguerd both missed the Portugal game through injury, and will be assessed before the game, while Romain Saiss was stretchered off after beginning the game with heavy strapping on his leg. The situation would be a challenge against any opponent, let alone the world champions.
Still, Morocco go into the game with something others don't have - a defender who knows one of France's biggest threats inside out. The challenge comes from the fact that this goes both ways.
