Several Manchester United players advanced to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, including Mazraoui, who featured prominently for his country throughout the tournament. In the quarter-final clash, Mazraoui started at left-back, before switching to centre-back for the decisive knockout tie against France.
Morocco initially limited France’s forays forward, but a controversial moment arrived in the 25th minute when Mazraoui was adjudged to have fouled Mbappe inside the box. The ensuing penalty was saved brilliantly by Yassine Bono, keeping the game level and providing Morocco with a lifeline early on.
Despite the early drama, Mazraoui’s overall performance remained solid in the first half, aside from a mistimed challenge on Mbappe. As the match wore on, France began to control proceedings more convincingly. Mbappe redeemed himself by breaking the deadlock in the 60th minute, and six minutes later Dembele extended France’s advantage, effectively sealing Morocco’s fate.
Mazraoui completed the full 90 minutes and finished the match with an impressive 98% pass accuracy, successfully completing 51 of 52 attempted passes. He logged 60 touches, delivered two passes into the final third from defence, and added a crucial defensive block plus four clearances to his stat line.
With the World Cup run concluded, attention will turn to Mazraoui’s club commitments. He can now look forward to linking up with his teammates for pre-season preparations after some well-deserved rest. While the result was disappointing for Morocco and Mazraoui, there is no doubt his recent form and reliability at the back have been a key asset for his country during the tournament.
The defeat means France advance to face the winner of the Spain vs. Belgium contest in the semi-finals, continuing a run of high-level performances as they chase further tournament glory. For Mazraoui and his club, the experience of competing at such a prestigious stage will be an invaluable part of the players’ development and form heading into the new season.
