Noussair Mazraoui’s World Cup ride is over. Morocco couldn’t repeat their 2022 magic, falling to France in a quarterfinal that had just about everything except a fairytale finish.
France controlled the game from the jump. They pinned Morocco back in their own half and seemed set to take control early when Mazraoui brought down Kylian Mbappe in the box. Penalty to France. Game over, right?
Not so fast. Mbappe stepped up, but the delay before the kick was long enough to mess with anyone’s rhythm. Yassine Bounou read it well and saved it. For a moment, Morocco had life.
Mbappe made up for it just past the hour mark. He curled one from outside the box into the top corner. That’s the kind of shot that silences a stadium and ends a dream. Ousmane Dembele tacked on a second shortly after, and that was it.
Mazraoui’s Numbers Tell the Story
Mazraoui played center back alongside Issa Diop in this one. Not his natural spot, but he held his own. Seven defensive contributions: one tackle, four clearances, a blocked shot, and a couple of recoveries. He won one of two ground duels but lost both aerial battles.
On the ball, he was characteristically calm. 61 touches, 51 of 52 passes completed — a 98% completion rate. That’s not unusual for Mazraoui, but it didn’t change the outcome.
For the tournament overall, he was solid. It just didn’t matter in the end.
What Happens Next
Mazraoui gets a few weeks off now before Manchester United calls him back for preseason. He’s 28, and this was probably his best shot at a deep World Cup run with Morocco. The 2022 semifinal was a Cinderella story. This year, the clock struck midnight earlier.
France moves on. Morocco goes home. That’s the business end of international football.
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