For night before di big match between France and Morocco for World Cup 2026, Moroccan supporters don cause serious noise around di hotel where di French players dey stay. Di disturbance start around 10:30pm, as fans fire loud fireworks from a pickup truck, first for streets near di hotel like Boylston and Stuart Street, then move closer to where di players dey.
Di noise from di fireworks and horns reach di hotel, and di players hear am well well. Some of di fans even gather at di foot of di hotel and begin to sing, hoping to see di players. But instead, dem see Mohamed Sanhadji, di security officer for di French team, wey come out in suit to ask dem to leave. Di exchange be calm one, and di fans even chant Sanhadji name with smile, before gradually dispersing.
After di noise die down, di French players continue dia evening with two former stars: Thierry Henry and André-Pierre Gignac. Dem exchange with some players, especially Henry wey talk with old Olympic team members. Di two ex-strikers leave around midnight, with Gignac even stop to take photos and give thumbs up say all well for France.
Even as some Moroccan fans still dey roam around di hotel, di French team try to sleep. Dis kind tactic to disturb opponents no be new for dis World Cup. Earlier, Ecuador complain about Mexican fans wey make noise before dia match, and Mexican fans also disturb England before dia game. So, di Moroccan fans dey follow pattern.
Meanwhile, di match between France and Morocco be repeat of dia 2022 semi-final wey France win 2-0. Both teams dey face again for 2026 World Cup, and di Moroccan fans dey use every means to unsettle di French players before di game.
Di Moroccan team, known as Lions of Atlas, come into di match with confidence. Dem don’t lose for 34 matches across all competitions. For dia last 13 World Cup matches, dem only lose twice, both for 2022: against France for semi-final and against Croatia for third-place match. As di last African team standing after oda African teams don exit, Morocco carry di hopes of di whole continent.
Historically, France don lose to African teams for World Cup three times since 2000: for 2002 opening match against Senegal (1-0), for 2010 group stage against South Africa (2-1), and for 2022 against Tunisia (1-0) even though France don already qualify. Dis stats give Morocco belief say dem fit upset France again.
Di match dey set for Thursday at 10pm, and all eyes dey on whether Morocco fit repeat dia 2022 heroics or France go continue dia dominance.
