Yassine Bounou (8.5): Without him, the evening could have turned into a much heavier defeat for Morocco. The Atlas Lions’ goalkeeper once again rose to the occasion, keeping his side alive from start to finish—most notably by saving Kylian Mbappé’s penalty.
Achraf Hakimi (4.5): One of Morocco’s most anticipated performers, the captain endured a difficult night. Frequently caught high up the pitch, he left too much space behind him and struggled to track back in time to contain France’s attacks. Going forward, he was equally unable to make his usual impact.
Issa Diop (5): Like the rest of Morocco’s back line, he had a difficult evening dealing with the French forwards. Although he produced several important interventions, moments of hesitation proved costly. His delayed reaction to Mbappé in the buildup to the opening goal hurt Morocco.
Noussair Mazraoui (5): Deployed centrally for this quarterfinal, Mazraoui found himself under pressure against France’s pace. He made several crucial clearances and held firm at times, but was repeatedly stretched by the French attack.
Anass Salah-Eddine (6): Starting at left-back, he delivered a disciplined defensive performance and was rarely beaten in one-on-one situations. Hard-working and committed, he offered little in attack and struggled to provide width on Morocco’s left flank.
Neil El Aynaoui (4.5): Usually influential in midfield, El Aynaoui struggled to assert himself against France’s aggressive press. He found it difficult to break lines or disrupt opposition moves and was overly passive in the sequence that led to France’s first goal.
Ayyoub Bouaddi (4): After impressing earlier in the tournament, Bouaddi failed to make his mark in the quarterfinal. Largely anonymous, he struggled to dictate the tempo and lacked his usual sharpness in possession.
Azzedine Ounahi (4.5): Too static and often crowded out by France’s midfield, Ounahi rarely managed to steer Morocco’s play. Aside from a few flashes of technical quality, he remained well below his usual standards.
Brahim Diaz (4): Kept quiet throughout the match, Diaz never found the space to influence proceedings. Closely marked by the French defense, he failed to provide the attacking spark Morocco needed.
Ayyoub Bouaddi lors du match Maroc-France en quart de finale du Mondial 2026 disputé à Boston le jeudi 9 juin.
Chemsedine Talbi (4): Largely ineffective on the wing, Talbi struggled to receive the ball in dangerous positions and was unable to trouble the French defense.
Bilal El Khannouss (4): Another Moroccan player who failed to impose himself, El Khannouss was unable to provide the creativity and attacking link-up expected of him in the final third.
Sofyan Amrabat (4): Introduced to add steel and energy in midfield, Amrabat failed to alter the course of the game. Slow in possession and often a step behind defensively, he struggled to contain France’s attacks.
Soufiane Rahimi, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Gessime Yassine and Amine Sbai: Brought on during the second half, none of them managed to turn the tide. With Morocco already on the back foot, they were unable to inject fresh momentum or trouble the French back line.
Mohamed Ouahbi (5): The Morocco coach was unable to find the right formula against a French side that dictated the pace from the opening whistle. His starting lineup appeared cautious and, at times, overly respectful of the opposition, preventing Morocco from fully expressing its identity. The changes made after the break failed to provide the desired spark, highlighting the lack of game-changing options on the bench. Despite the disappointment, Ouahbi’s overall record remains impressive, having guided Morocco to the quarterfinals just months after taking charge of the national team.
