Morocco coach Walid Regragui believes his side are the “Rocky of this World Cup”, but you have to wonder how many more rounds they have left in them.
After beating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday, Morocco will make history on Wednesday when they face France as the first African team to reach the semi-finals.
But the emotional and physical strain exerted to reach the last four has taken its toll. That much was clear after their quarter-final win against Portugal, which came courtesy of a first-half header from striker Youssef En-Nesyri.
Morocco started that game with just two of their regular back four and then lost centre-back rock and captain Romain Saiss to injury after 55 minutes.
Saiss cut a more upbeat figure speaking to journalists afterwards, insisting he would do “everything” to be back for Wednesday, but he is not the only one struggling. Midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, the breakout star of Morocco’s run to the semi-finals, left the stadium with an ice pack on his right knee.
“I have played almost 30 games this season already in three or four months, it is very hard,” said the Fiorentina midfielder. “But you have no choice. You are in the semi-finals. Everybody has to go until the end, ask the maximum from himself, from his body.”
Morocco trained on Monday morning here in Doha, but they elected to do so behind closed doors, perhaps reluctant to give France a steer on who might be fit.
Regragui hopes that West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd can shake off a muscle injury and Bayern Munich full-back Noussair Mazraoui can recover from illness. Back-up striker Walid Cheddira is suspended, though, after being sent off against Portugal in stoppage time.
It is a team effort that makes Morocco so defensively solid, and they will need that more than ever now, as they patch up their walking wounded
If Aguerd, Mazraoui and Saiss are not able to recover for Wednesday, Regragui can at least take heart from the way players stepped up against Portugal. Yahia Attiyat-Allah excelled at left-back in place of Mazraoui, setting up the only goal, while Jawad El Yamiq was a rock in the heart of defence as he stood in for Aguerd.
Morocco’s success has been built on their defensive displays. They have conceded just once at this tournament — an own-goal by Aguerd — and other than that they have been unbreakable.
Belgium, Croatia, Portugal and Spain have all failed to crack the code. France’s fearsome front four will provide their sternest test yet, but confidence is sky high in the Morocco camp.
It is a team effort that makes Morocco so defensively solid, and they will need that more than ever now, as they patch up their walking wounded. Chelsea fans have been surprised to see Hakim Ziyech pressing and tracking back so relentlessly from his wide forward role, but the same effort is given by Sofiane Boufal on the other flank.
Perhaps it is playing for their country that drives Boufal and Ziyech on. The support Morocco have had at this World Cup is like no other team, and Doha on Saturday night was awash with cars beeping horns and people waving flags.
Morocco have become the locals’ team, and they have united the Arab and African communities here. But France have more tournament nous than anyone left at this World Cup, and they also have Kylian Mbappe.
Morocco will be thankful that the one fully-fit player of their first-choice defence is Achraf Hakimi, who will be tasked with stopping Mbappe. The pair know each other well, as they play together at Paris Saint-Germain. After a quiet night against England, Mbappe will again have his work cut out against, arguably, the best right-back so far at this World Cup.
