Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi insists his side can upset France in the World Cup quarter-finals despite losing star midfielder Ismael Saibari to injury.
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has insisted his side will not abandon their identity when they face France in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, despite being without one of their standout performers, Ismael Saibari.
The Atlas Lions are preparing for one of the biggest matches in their history as they bid to reach the last four.
The North Africans have been dealt a significant setback after Saibari was ruled out of Thursday’s clash. The Bayern Munich midfielder suffered a hamstring injury during Morocco’s Round of 16 victory over Canada, and Ouahbi confirmed he will not recover in time for the quarter-final.
“He’s not ready, but I hope it’s not the end of the tournament for him,” Ouahbi told reporters. Saibari has been one of Morocco’s stars in the competition, scoring in all three group-stage matches before converting the decisive penalty in the shootout victory over the Netherlands.
🚨⛔️ Ismael Saibari will miss Morocco-France game.
“He’s not ready today, too early… I hope he can be available for the next game”, Morocco head coach confirmed ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/LKP6v1Y5A3
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 9, 2026
Despite the absence of one of his key players, Ouahbi made it clear Morocco will not drastically alter their tactical approach. He stressed that his side has a clear philosophy and intends to remain faithful to it against the 2018 world champions.
“We have nothing to hide,” Ouahbi explained. “Those who have watched our matches know exactly how we want to play. We must hurt France whenever we have possession, whether through the wings or the middle, while remaining patient with the ball.”
The Morocco coach believes his team has already shown throughout the tournament that they can trouble any opponent. However, he refused to reveal specific tactical plans ahead of the encounter, insisting the squad is fully focused on executing its game plan on the pitch.
🚨‼️ 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Ismael Saibari has been ruled OUT of Morocco’s clash with France and won’t be fit in time he won’t even make the bench. 🇲🇦❌
🗣️ Morocco head coach:
“He’s not ready today. It’s too early. I hope Isma will be available for the next game.” ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/Ea8B6xO1Nt
— MatchDay Central (@MatchDCentral) July 9, 2026
Ouahbi also rejected suggestions that Morocco have already exceeded expectations by reaching the quarter-finals. While acknowledging France’s quality, he insisted his players are targeting the biggest prize of all. “Being here is not the bonus,” he said. “The bonus is winning the World Cup, and we will do everything possible to achieve that.”
