As the final whistle blew on Wednesday night in Al Khor, Moroccan players dropped to the ground in a culmination of disappointment and physical exhaustion. France had beaten them 2-0, but the Atlas Lions – the tournament’s giant killers – had gone toe to toe with the current champions throughout.
Amid the wild celebrations from the French players, their superstar forward, Kylian Mbappe, could be seen weaving his way around his teammates before leaning over his good friend and stalwart of the Moroccan defence, Achraf Hakimi. He helped the full-back to his feet before the two men shared a warm embrace.
