DOHA: Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi will put their friendship aside when France play Morocco in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday and both may try to honour a promise they made.
“After we play against Morocco, I have to destroy my friend,” Mbappe said in a video on a trip to Qatar in January with their club Paris Saint-Germain. “I’m going to kick him,” a smiling Hakimi responded. With Mbappe on the left flank of France’s attack, he will cross paths with right back Hakimi, the player he took under his wing when the Moroccan joined PSG from Inter Milan in 2021. The pair sit next to each other on plane trips, they play video games and holiday together.
Although Morocco will not have any special plan to shackle Mbappe, as England did with Kyle Walker in close attendance and doubling down on him in their 2-1 quarter-final loss, coach Walid Regragui has complete faith in Hakimi. “I have no doubt that Hakimi will be on top form to get the better of his friend,” Regragui told a news conference on Tuesday.
Mbappe has scored five goals and delivered two assists at this World Cup while Hakimi has been key in helping Morocco concede only 10 shots on target in their five matches.
Hakimi celebrated his winning penalty against Spain in the last 16 by imitating a penguin – something he does with Mbappe and Sergio Ramos at PSG. Mbappe, who also visited Hakimi at his hotel in Doha on one of his days off at the World Cup, was among the first to congratulate him when Morocco qualified for the quarter-finals. France captain Hugo Lloris is confident their friendship will be put on hold at the Al Bayt stadium. “The event will take over. Even if you’re friends off the pitch, it’s the World Cup so you separate the two,” he told a news conference.
Meanwhile, France defender Dayot Upamecano and midfielder Adrien Rabiot are both doubtful for the semi-final after missing collective training on Tuesday. Centre back Upamecano and Rabiot, who suffer from a cold, are on light training indoors, the French federation (FFF) said. Upamecano had already missed Monday’s training session. Should they be ruled out, Ibrahima Konate would start at centre back while Youssouf Fofana would be expected to be alongside Antoine Griezmann and Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield.