To think that we had presumed England would beat this Morocco team. Not on this evidence. Not with this spirit and dynamism. Not with this support.
When England went down to France here at the weekend, we mourned a missed opportunity because we presumed Morocco – defensive, dour Morocco – presented Gareth Southgate’s team with a passage to the final.
But the version of Walid Regragui’s side we saw here was different than the one we had previously seen. Forced to chase the game after falling behind early, Morocco were electric at times.
France beat Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup semi-finals to advance to final of the tournament
Morocco were forced to chase the game, falling behind early thanks to Theo Hernandez (right)
With what felt like half of north Africa inside this stadium, they terrified the life out of the holders. When France take their place 25 miles south of here at Lusail for Sunday’s final against Argentina, they will know it is a place in a consecutive World Cup showpiece that has been desperately hard earned.
If Lionel Messi is providing us with the headline story of this World Cup then Morocco deserve to be in the second paragraph. What a team they have been, what an example they have set.
It is an example that a few more exalted teams – sides such as Belgium, Germany and Uruguay for example – could follow.
It was heartbreak for Morocco’s Acraf Hakimi (pictured) as their inspired campaign ended
Morocco had several chances during the match and outplayed the French during the game
There are few more remote stadiums than this peculiar huge place on the fringes of the desert. Situated an hour outside Doha, it sits as testimony to the often vulgar extravagance of this World Cup.
A stadium that, in truth, this tournament didn’t need, it will be remembered as the place where England’s dreams died. Here, after only four minutes, Morocco and the thousands of their supporters who had traipsed out here must have been feeling the same.
The beauty of Morocco in this tournament has been in their organisation and the ferocity of their defensive work. There has not been a more collegiate set of individuals out here.
But in order do what they have done – to come through a group with Belgium in it and then get rid of Spain and Portugal – they have relied upon performances of almost complete infallibility.
In getting to this stage against such huge odds, Morocco had conceded just one goal. Regragui’s whole game plan has revolved around frustrating technically superior teams and them hitting them with rapid counter attacks. It had worked but ahead of this game against such accomplished opposition there had been present a nagging doubt that France may score early and change everything.
That was exactly what happened and frustratingly for Morocco it was a goal that had defensive errors at its heart.
The main culprit was defender Jawad El Yamiq who slipped as he looked to cut out a routine pass forwards to Antoine Griezmann. Once that mistake had been made Morroco were in trouble and Theo Hernandez ultimately had far too much space in which to score.
And so, only a matter of minutes in to a game, we were immediately to see a completely different kind of Morocco.
Gone were the two banks of four with one slightly more advanced player tasked with pressing the French player in possession. Gone was the strategic defending that must have come from so much hard work and repetition at Morocco’s training base out here.
In its place was a side compelled to get on the front foot and chase the game a little. It wasn’t reckless or without structure. But it was fascinating to watch as, as much as players like Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech unnerved France with the strength and directness of his running, so Morocco were left vulnerable to France’s own burst from deep.
Olivier Giroud almost finished the game as he struck the post in the 17th minute. That time it was Romain Saiss, once of Wolves, who erred and minutes he left the fray, unable to continue with a thigh injury he had brought with him in to this game. Ten minutes before half-time, Giroud came close again.
Somehow, with their supporters screaming them onwards, Morocco remained in touch.
What’s more they created chances, too. Once before half-time as El Yamiq almost atoned for his earlier error with an overhead kick and then early in the second period as twice French defenders scrambled for their lives.
At times this was extraordinary to watch. France would have presumed to have been to have been out of sight, given the way the game had started and that Morocco were missing key players.
But instead at times as the game wore on this began to resemble an exercise in survival. And all the while the feeling that something remarkable may just happen hung over this game.
Ultimately it didn’t happen. Morocco couldn’t turn big moments in to something tangible. They couldn’t turn half chances in to an equaliser. And when Kylian Mbappe’s deflected shot was nudged in by Rando Kolo Muani with eleven minutes left, a Moroccan dream died.
But Regragui’s team went down with honour. They outplayed France at times. More possession, more shots on target.
Some of these players may simply never perform like this again. Inspired by wearing the shirt of their country, what a joy they have been.