The Moroccan national team is eager to continue making history as they face off against France on Thursday evening at Boston's stadium, marking the opening of the quarter-finals in the 2026 World Cup. This matchup rekindles memories of the two teams' encounter in the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
The 'Atlas Lions' are seeking to make amends after their 2-0 loss to France in the previous tournament, where they became the first Arab and African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
Morocco's task seems more challenging this time, as they face the most expensive team in World Cup history. The market value of the French team has reached 1.52 billion euros according to 'Transfermarkt', the highest ever recorded for a national team since the tournament's inception.
During the 2026 World Cup, the French team set a new record for the highest market value of a starting lineup in a single match, with their key players valued at 908 million euros.
The 'Les Bleus' are led by a roster of some of the world's top stars, including Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise, with the attacking quartet alone valued at over 550 million euros.
In contrast, the market value of the Moroccan team stands at 447.4 million euros, which is less than a third of their French rivals. Achraf Hakimi is the most valuable player among the 'Atlas Lions', valued at 80 million euros, followed by young midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi at 50 million euros.
Despite the significant market value gap and resources, the Moroccan team is driven by the ambition to replicate their Qatar World Cup achievement and keep the dream alive of reaching the semi-finals for the second consecutive time, in one of the most challenging matches of the tournament.