Morocco's Star Forward Out of World Cup Quarter-Final Against France

Ismael Saibari to Miss Morocco vs France Quarter-Final

Morocco faces a tough challenge ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against France as key forward Ismael Saibari will be sidelined due to a hamstring injury. The Bayern Munich signing, who cost around €50 million, had to leave the field just 22 minutes into Morocco’s 3-0 win over Canada in the round of 16. Although scans revealed the injury isn’t severe, he won’t be ready in time for the high-stakes clash in Boston.

Confirmation from Coach Mohamed Ouahbi

Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed Saibari's absence during a pre-match press conference. He emphasized that only players fully fit will be selected for the game and expressed hope that Saibari might return if Morocco progresses further.

"Everyone’s available, except Saibari, with the match coming too early for him, although he’s not out for the rest of the tournament, I hope. Everyone’s available, although we of course will only select the players who are at 100%." - Mohamed Ouahbi

Adjusting Without Their Leading Scorer

Saibari has been Morocco’s standout player, scoring three key goals during the tournament and netting the decisive penalty that sent the Netherlands home in the round of 32. With him out, Soufiane Rahimi is expected to lead the attack. Ouahbi believes the team’s depth can still cause upsets despite this setback.

"When you want to go very far in a competition, you need everybody, and the players who cannot be in the starting 11 know that they have the opportunity to finish the match. We have starters, and then when others are subbed in, they can make a difference on the pitch for us. This is a positive for the group, and it’s something that gives us a lot of confidence." - Mohamed Ouahbi

Morocco’s Next Test: Facing France in Boston

The upcoming match at Boston Stadium holds extra significance for Morocco as they seek revenge after being eliminated by France in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals in Qatar. The defense got a boost with center-back Chadi Riad returning from injury, but Morocco will need a flawless performance to stop Kylian Mbappe and the tournament favorites, who come in on a six-match winning streak.