Morocco’s quarterfinal against France was always going to be defined by margins, but this one takes away one of the clearest attacking advantages before a ball is even kicked. Ismael Saibari will miss Thursday’s match in Boston because of a hamstring injury, and for Morocco that is more than a simple selection note. It is the removal of a player who had become one of their most consistent sources of threat at this World Cup.
The absence matters because Saibari has not been an incidental contributor. He scored in all three group games and then converted the winning penalty in Morocco’s shootout victory over the Netherlands in the last 32. He was also part of the side that beat Canada 3-0 in the last 16, where the injury first struck last Saturday. Morocco confirmed on Wednesday that Mohamed Ouahbi had said Saibari had not recovered in time, and the midfielder-forward now sits out a match that could have pushed the team into the semifinals.
Why the setback matters
Morocco have already shown they can survive pressure. They reached the quarterfinal after the shootout win over the Netherlands and a controlled 3-0 result against Canada, and that is why this squad should not be reduced to one player. But Saibari was one of the players giving the attack rhythm and penetration, and in knockout football those are not replaceable qualities on demand.
The challenge is also historical. France are not just another opponent; they are the team that beat Morocco 2-0 in the 2022 World Cup semifinals, ending a run that had already made history as the first time any African or Arab team reached the last four of the tournament. That memory gives this match extra force, but it also makes the loss of Saibari more painful. Morocco wanted this to be a chance to close the gap. Instead, they arrive at the game having to adjust first.
Mohamed Ouahbi tried to keep the tone sharp. Everyone else, he said, is fit, and he made clear that Morocco do not accept the idea that getting this far should be treated as enough. He pushed the point that they want to reach the semifinals, not simply admire the route they have already taken. Brahim Diaz struck a similar note, calling France one of the favourites but stressing that Morocco have already shown they can compete.
That is the right mindset. It also does not change the reality that Saibari’s injury changes the attack. Morocco can still believe they have a route through France, but they now have to do it without one of the tournament’s most productive players. In a game of this size, that is the sort of absence that can tilt the balance before the first duel is even won.
