Buffon: The dream of the World Cup remains alive.

Moroccan international Sofiane Boufal aspires to be part of the Moroccan national team in the 2026 World Cup, after regaining his form since returning to the French league during the last winter transfer window from the club Le Havre.

Boufal confirmed in an interview with "Foot Mercato" that participating in the biggest international competitions remains a legitimate goal for any professional player, especially given his previous experience with the "Atlas Lions" and the expertise he has accumulated over the past years.

The Moroccan player expressed his happiness at playing regularly in a strong league like the French league, adding that his physical stability and the continuity of matches help him regain his best levels, which could enhance his chances of being included in Morocco's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Boufal clarified that his current focus is primarily on ensuring his team's survival in the league, noting that the dream of the World Cup remains alive, whether through his presence with the national team or supporting it in case he is not called up.

Boufal revealed new details regarding the historic journey of the Moroccan national team in the 2022 World Cup, especially the semi-final match against the French national team.

Boufal stated that the "Atlas Lions" faced France while being in a state of significant physical exhaustion after the tremendous efforts they exerted throughout the tournament, explaining: "It was our sixth match in the competition, and we had put in a lot of effort to reach this stage. Physically, we were exhausted; we gave everything we had, and we were lacking some focus and physical recovery, even though we played a great match against France and competed well."

The national team winger spoke about the controversial moment he had with French defender Theo Hernandez at the beginning of the match, saying: "The moment was somewhat ambiguous. There was contact, and he did touch me, but I was completely focused on the match and the desire to win, so I didn't feel at that moment that he had committed a foul against me; in fact, I even thought that the foul was on me, which is why I went straight back to my position."

He added: "We didn't have that experience or cunning to pressure the referee to go back to the video technology. But with all those cameras, perhaps it wouldn't have changed anything. There is a difference between what the viewer sees on television and what we experience on the pitch, because everything happens very quickly and in just a second."