Deschamps: The Moroccan national team is one of the greats in the world.

Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French national team, expressed great respect for the Moroccan national team immediately after the "Les Bleus" qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, following their victory over Paraguay with a score of one goal to nil, confirming that the "Atlas Lions" have become one of the strongest teams on the global football stage.

Deschamps stated in press remarks that facing Morocco will not be easy at all, emphasizing the need for his players to regain their energy before thinking about this anticipated match.

The French coach added: "Morocco is one of the best teams. We have five days ahead of us, and we need to recover. We have 48 hours to rest and recuperate, and we will think about the match after that. They are a very strong team."

The statements from the French coach reflect the level of respect that the Moroccan national team enjoys from one of the most prominent coaches in the world, especially after the remarkable journey that the "Atlas Lions" have had in the current edition of the "World Cup," culminating in their qualification for the quarter-finals after eliminating Canada with a clean three-goal victory.

The quarter-final match between Morocco and France is expected to take place next Thursday, in a clash that brings to mind the semi-final of the "2022 World Cup," when the French team defeated their Moroccan counterpart with a score of two goals to nil.

Observers believe that the Moroccan national team enters this summit with great confidence, having once again confirmed its ability to compete with the top national teams in the world, while France seems fully aware of the difficulty of the task, as reflected by Deschamps in his early praise for the quality of the Moroccan squad and the strength of their performance.