Paris Saint-Germain teammates Kylian Mbappé and Achraf Hakimi will go head-to-head when France take on Morocco in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
France - Morocco
- Kick-off: 19:00 GMT
Mbappé and Hakimi are firm friends having been teammates at PSG for the last year-and-a-half following the latter's arrival from Inter Milan.
They have combined directly for seven goals in that time as the capital club have won a Ligue 1 Uber Eats title and the Trophée des Champions, but they can't both win at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on Wednesday.
It's a fixture both are relishing, even if they'll have to set aside their friendship and club loyalty for 90 if not 120 minutes of football.
Premonition?
PSG did a tour in Qatar in May in which Mbappé and Hakimi recorded a video which has turned out to be eerily precognitive.
"We're here in Education City Stadium," Mbappé told the camera, in English. "40,000 people can come here. France-Tunisia, I hope we'll win, and then we'll play against Morocco…
"I'll have to destroy my friend," he then said, looking mischievously at Hakimi, who replied, "I'm going to smash it."
Mbappé on fire
It turns out both have been right to a degree. France will indeed meet Morocco in Qatar, and Mbappé has been destroying most defences, racing to a tournament high five goals with strikes in victories over Australia, Denmark and Poland.
He left the scoring to Aurélien Tchouaméni and Olivier Giroud as France beat England 2-1 on Saturday, much being made of Kyle Walker's ability to keep Mbappé quiet in the UK media in particular.
Watch: World Cup All-Stars - World XI | Ligue 1 Uber Eats
Miserly Morocco
But if anyone has a chance, it might be Hakimi, who has been the star man in a Morocco defence that has conceded a tournament-best one goal, and that an own-goal against Canada in the group stage.
Morocco have beaten Spain and Portugal since, and are now one win away from becoming the first African side ever to make it to a World Cup final. France remain the overwhelming favourites, however.
Each side will be at full-strength, with Lucas Hernandez's torn ACL and Walid Cheddira's suspension the only absentees either have to contend with.
With Angers SCO pair Sofiane Boufal and Azzedine Ounahi as well as Hakimi, Morocco could start with more Ligue 1 Uber Eats players than les Bleus in Al Khor.
Possible teams
France: Lloris, Koundé, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Griezmann, Mbappé; Giroud
Morocco: Bounou; Hakimi, Aguerd, Saïss, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal
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