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Morocco’s Saibari Out of France World Cup Quarter-Final

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Canada v Morocco - Fans gather in Vancouver - Vancouver, Canada - July 4, 2026 Morocco's Ismael Saibari comes off the pitch to receive medical attention after sustaining an injury. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Canada v Morocco - Fans gather in Vancouver - Vancouver, Canada - July 4, 2026 Morocco's Ismael Saibari comes off the pitch to receive medical attention after sustaining an injury. (Reuters)
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Morocco’s Saibari Out of France World Cup Quarter-Final

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Canada v Morocco - Fans gather in Vancouver - Vancouver, Canada - July 4, 2026 Morocco's Ismael Saibari comes off the pitch to receive medical attention after sustaining an injury. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Canada v Morocco - Fans gather in Vancouver - Vancouver, Canada - July 4, 2026 Morocco's Ismael Saibari comes off the pitch to receive medical attention after sustaining an injury. (Reuters)

Morocco star Ismael Saibari will miss his team's World Cup quarter-final showdown with France, coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed on Wednesday.

"Everyone is 100 percent fit except Saibari. This game comes too soon for him, but I hope he is not out for the rest of the competition," Ouahbi told reporters ahead of Thursday's last-eight showdown at the Gillette Stadium near Boston.

Saibari, who has just joined Bayern Munich from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven on a five-year deal for a reported fee of 50 million euros ($57 million), has been one of the standout players at the World Cup.

He scored in each of his team's three group games and converted the winning penalty in the shoot-out as Morocco beat the Netherlands in the last 32.

However, the attacking midfielder came off early on with a hamstring problem in the 3-0 win against Canada in the last 16 last Saturday, and has not recovered.

Soufiane Rahimi, who is an out-and-out striker, came on for Saibari in that game and scored Morocco's third goal.

The Atlas Lions are seeking to avenge their 2-0 defeat against France in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

That was the first time any African or Arab team had made it to the last four of the tournament, and the incentive for them this time is to match that run.

Ouahbi dismissed suggestions that his team can say they have already had a successful tournament by getting to the quarter-finals.

"We absolutely want to win the game tomorrow, so we will not listen to people who say it doesn't matter if we go out now," said the coach, who took over from predecessor Walid Regragui in March.

"Tomorrow we will try get to the semi-finals. I don't like this sentiment that we have already done well and anything else is a bonus," added Ouabi, who said he watched the 2022 meeting of the sides as a fan, on television.

Meanwhile, Morocco's Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz insisted his side can compete with the much-fancied French as he prepares to come up against Kylian Mbappe, his colleague at club level.

"Tomorrow we are playing one of the favorites but we have shown we can compete and that is why we are here. I have full faith and full confidence in the team."

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France Star Kylian Mbappe '100%' Entering Spain Match

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe attends a training session at Philadelphia Eagles training centre on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football tournament round of 16 match against Paraguay, in Philadelphia on July 3, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe attends a training session at Philadelphia Eagles training centre on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football tournament round of 16 match against Paraguay, in Philadelphia on July 3, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
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France Star Kylian Mbappe '100%' Entering Spain Match

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe attends a training session at Philadelphia Eagles training centre on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football tournament round of 16 match against Paraguay, in Philadelphia on July 3, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe attends a training session at Philadelphia Eagles training centre on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football tournament round of 16 match against Paraguay, in Philadelphia on July 3, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Although he exited France's 2-0 quarterfinal defeat of Morocco last Thursday with an ankle injury, Kylian Mbappe is fully fit for Les Bleus' Tuesday semifinal against Spain in Arlington, Texas, France coach Didier Deschamps told reporters on Monday.

"Kylian feels good," Deschamps said. "He is at 100%, we cannot go above."

Mbappe, who has scored eight goals in six World Cup matches, is atop the Golden Boot leaderboard. He's level on goals with Argentina's Lionel Messi but one assist ahead (three to two).

Mbappe's 11 goal contributions are the most in a World Cup since Gerd Muller had 13 for West Germany in 1970.

He scored the opening goal vs. Morocco and assisted on the second but was subbed off in the 76th minute after appearing to sustain an injury. He was seen with a bag of ice on his right ankle while seated in the bench area after leaving the match.

While he appeared to be limited in the media-viewing period of Monday's practice, Deschamps made it clear he's not worried.

"He trained. He is allowed to do 10 minutes in one drill instead of 15," Deschamps said.

France are seeking to become the first team since Brazil from 1994-2002 to reach three straight World Cup Finals.

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Spain ‘Favorites' Says Deschamps Ahead of World Cup Semi-Final Showdown

France’s national team head coach Didier Deschamps attends a press conference in Dallas, Texas, USA, 13 July 2026. (EPA)
France’s national team head coach Didier Deschamps attends a press conference in Dallas, Texas, USA, 13 July 2026. (EPA)
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Spain ‘Favorites' Says Deschamps Ahead of World Cup Semi-Final Showdown

France’s national team head coach Didier Deschamps attends a press conference in Dallas, Texas, USA, 13 July 2026. (EPA)
France’s national team head coach Didier Deschamps attends a press conference in Dallas, Texas, USA, 13 July 2026. (EPA)

France coach Didier Deschamps insisted he still sees Spain as World Cup favorites on Monday ahead of Les Bleus' blockbuster semi-final against the European champions.

France take on Spain at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday in a match widely seen as a collision of the best two teams in the tournament.

While Deschamps' side have lit up the World Cup with a string of scintillating performances, Spain's campaign has built momentum gradually following a shock 0-0 draw against minnows Cape Verde in their opening game.

Deschamps, though, maintains that France -- beaten by Spain in their last two meetings -- will be the underdog on Tuesday.

"Forget about the first game against Cape Verde," Deschamps said of Spain's campaign. "Ever since then Spain have confirmed that they are the favorites.

"I don't want to add extra pressure to (Spain coach) Luis (De la Fuente) and their team -- he knows very well that people are expecting great things of Spain.

"But Spain can attack well, and they can defend very well. They've only conceded one goal in the last six or seven matches."

Spain coach De la Fuente meanwhile smiled when asked for his response to Deschamps' comments at an eve-of-game press conference.

"Since the beginning, I've always said that the fact that people say we're favorites or not doesn't mean anything," De la Fuente told reporters. "It doesn't. It's not decisive."

"We are two great national teams facing each other, just as there are two great national teams facing each other in the other semi-final," De la Fuente added, stressing that his team was comfortable living with the pressure to succeed.

"Regardless of whether we're favorites or not, it doesn't mean create additional pressure," he said. "We have that pressure anyway. We want to do well for our country."

Deschamps meanwhile believes Tuesday's game has all the makings of a classic.

"With the quality of the two teams offensively, I think we could think that is going to be a spectacular game," he said.

Deschamps is also not overly concerned by the threat posed by Spain winger Lamine Yamal, who scored in La Roja's victories over France in the European Championship semi-final in 2024 and the UEFA Nations League last year.

"We know the strength of the opposing team. We have our own strengths," Deschamps said.

"Have I studied Yamal and his assets? Yes, he's one of the players that can really make a difference on the pitch.

"And all opponents should try to limit the strength of the other team, but we have many solutions.

"When it comes to a one-on-ones it could be tough. But having a one-on-one against some of my players is not an easy task either."

Deschamps confirmed that France captain Kylian Mbappe, who left the quarter-final win over Morocco late in the second half after taking a knock, was "100 percent" fit for the semi-final.

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Norway Turn World Cup Heartbreak into Celebration as Huge Crowds Pack Capital

Supporters wave for Norway's national football team at Radhusplassen in Oslo after their return to Norway from the US on July 13, 2026. (AFP)
Supporters wave for Norway's national football team at Radhusplassen in Oslo after their return to Norway from the US on July 13, 2026. (AFP)
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Norway Turn World Cup Heartbreak into Celebration as Huge Crowds Pack Capital

Supporters wave for Norway's national football team at Radhusplassen in Oslo after their return to Norway from the US on July 13, 2026. (AFP)
Supporters wave for Norway's national football team at Radhusplassen in Oslo after their return to Norway from the US on July 13, 2026. (AFP)

More than 100,000 fans flooded the streets of the Norwegian capital Oslo on Monday to give their football team a heroes' welcome, turning the heartbreak of their World Cup exit into a massive national celebration.

A 2-1 extra-time defeat by England on Saturday brought Norway's historic run to an end in the quarter-finals, shattering the Nordics' dreams of a place in the last four. However, it did not stop the country celebrating their heroes.

Massive crowds under the Norwegian summer sun filled the grounds of the Royal Palace ‌early on Monday ‌afternoon, with an unofficial turnout estimated at more than 100,000 ‌people.

The ⁠Norway squad touched ⁠down to a traditional water cannon salute before commencing their homecoming parade in the capital.

The line of supporters quickly packed the palace square before stretching far down the main street, Karl Johans gate, as the squad first attended an audience with King Harald.

The team then stepped out to greet the fans with the Royal Guard standing to attention behind them.

Striker Erling Haaland was noticeably absent from the final stage of the celebrations, having left ⁠early.

His departure meant he missed joining his teammates on the ‌palace steps for one last "Viking row", with tens of ‌thousands of fans gathered below, which was led by Crown Prince Haakon on the drums.

"Erling ‌and Sander (Berge) had to catch their plane as our trip from the US was ‌delayed four hours," coach Stale Solbakken said, as the squad prepared to continue the celebrations in an open-top bus parade around Oslo.

Crowds slowed the bus to a halt through central Oslo, forcing it to reverse at one point as police escorts struggled to carve out a path. ‌Undeterred, Norway's players celebrated with beer and waved as the party continued long after dark.

CABLES PAUSE NORWEGIAN CELEBRATIONS

There was a moment ⁠of irony when ⁠the parade was halted by low-hanging overhead cables. The players, who had been standing and waving flags on the top deck, were forced to sit down to clear the obstruction before the double-decker could proceed.

Solbakken said earlier he was convinced the ball hit a camera cable above the pitch just before Jude Bellingham scored England's equalizer in the first half of the quarter-final.

World soccer's governing body FIFA has repeatedly denied that the ball touched any wire before the goal.

Hours after the parade began, it completed the 1.3-km route at City Hall Square, where tens of thousands of patient supporters were still waiting to welcome the team.

"I don't think anyone had imagined this," captain Martin Odegaard told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. "The support we have received in the USA and here at home in Norway, has been beyond all expectations. It has been absolutely incredible to see."