Lekhleg: The confrontation with France is balanced.

Tahar Lkhalej, the former Moroccan international, believes in the national team's ability to overcome the French team tomorrow, Thursday, when the two sides meet in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, affirming that the "Atlas Lions" have enough potential to continue their "World Cup adventure."

Lkhalej, who represented the national team in the World Cup finals in the United States in 1994 and in France in 1998, stated that the Moroccan team has reached a stage where it is capable of competing with the top national teams in the world, emphasizing that focus and readiness will be the key to achieving a positive result against the "Roosters."

In this interview with "Hesport," the former Moroccan international discusses the national team's chances against France, the strengths of the "Atlas Lions," and his opinion on the value of the French team; he also touched on the possibility of competing for the title, while sending a special message before the match and expressing his hope that what happened in the "Qatar 2022 World Cup" with the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron does not repeat itself.

The Moroccan team is among the strongest teams participating in this tournament, and national football is experiencing significant development, so our chances are strong. We will enter the match with confidence in our abilities, not with the mentality that the French team is stronger than us.

The strengths of the "Atlas Lions" lie in the readiness and focus of all players. When everyone is at their best, as we have seen in major matches, the Moroccan team is capable of competing with any team in the world.

The players are professionals and know well how to handle matches of this magnitude, and the coaching staff led by Mohamed Wahbi is doing a great job. In such confrontations, focus remains the most important factor.

The French team includes major stars and has a bench with high-quality players, which gives coach Didier Deschamps many options, especially after the tough match they played in the previous round.

And why not? The Moroccan team has previously defeated major teams, but we must think of each match individually. I just hope that President Emmanuel Macron does not step onto the pitch again as he did in the "Qatar 2022 World Cup," and that the match takes place in a sporting atmosphere away from any pressures or external influences; the refereeing must also be fair.