Symbolic France Morocco World Cup game gets under way
The World Cup match between Morocco and France has got underway on Wednesday, with the two teams kicking off at 20:00 CET.
Morocco's resilient squad has defied the odds throughout the tournament and is hoping to defeat France in a match steeped in symbolism.
They are Africa's and the Arab World's first World Cup semi-finalist, with their footballing success a source of hope and pride for millions around the world.
Excitement around the game has mounted all day in Doha, with Moroccan fans pouring into the stadium.
The players of the France team were copiously whistled by the public as they entered the Stade al-Bayt, signifying the dominance of the North African country's fans.
Led by the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud, France wants to end Morocco’s fairytale run.
Despite being the favourites, the reigning champions know they’ll have to dig deep against the Moroccan side who have beat Spain and Portugal -- amongst others -- thanks to their solid defence, creativity in the final third, and the backing of thousands of fans who have made the trip to Qatar.
Morocco became the first African and Arab country in history to reach the World Cup semi-finals by beating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday.
The match is steeped in political symbolism, as Morocco was colonised by France until the country gained independence in 1956.
The Moroccan diaspora in France is also the largest in Europe, with more than a million Moroccans living in the country
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