Bouaddi stands by Morocco after France end World Cup run

Bouaddi: no regrets about choosing Morocco

Ayyoub Bouaddi said it plainly after the final whistle: he has zero regrets about choosing Morocco. "Ik heb geen spijt dat ik voor Marokko heb gekozen," the 18-year-old midfielder told Dutch media after France ended your World Cup run at 2–0 in the quarter-finals (1). Another outlet carried the same message: he is proud, not second-guessing anything (2). That matters. Bouaddi was one of the breakout stories of this tournament, and hearing him double down right after elimination says plenty.

France 2–0, the run stops here

Your team's World Cup ends in the quarter-finals. France 2–0 Morocco, a repeat of the 2022 semi-final, and this time the same winner (1) (2). The Atlas Lions beat the Netherlands and Canada to get here. Ouahbi's side did not go quietly, but France had too much on the night. Bouaddi started and was among those who walked off with heads held high.

What's next: France face Spain, Belgium await loser

France move on to a semi-final against Spain. The winner of that tie faces either Morocco or Belgium, who play on July 14 at 21:00 (3). The bracket is not closed yet. A third-place path remains alive.

Fan reactions

The r/worldcup thread after the match had fans grappling with just how dominant France look. One poster put it bluntly: France have not even hit top gear yet, and nobody has really troubled them. Mbappe is not even at his club level, and they are still cruising. Read the thread here.