France v Morocco, 14 December 2022

Kick-off: 10.00pm local (7.00pm GMT) . FIFA world ranking: France 4 Morocco 22 . France became the first reigning champions to reach the following World Cup Final since Brazil in 1998, and the second European nation to do so after Italy in 1938. . France won three (1998, 2006 and 2018) and lost three (1958, 1982 and 1986) of their six previous World Cup Semi-finals. . France have won 26 and drawn one of their 27 games at World Cup tournaments when leading at half-time. . The last time France lost a game at the World Cup finals after scoring the opening goal was the 3rd place play-off against Poland in Alicante in 1982. . France kept a clean sheet for the first time in their last seven games at World Cup tournaments. . France avoided becoming the first-ever team to lose to two African nations at an edition of the World Cup; lost against Tunisia in the group stage. . Manager Didier Deschamps had now won 14 of his 18 games in charge at World Cup tournaments. Only West Germany’s Helmut Schön had won more (16). . Theo Hernandez's opening goal was timed at four minutes and 39 seconds; the quickest in a Semi-final of the World Cup since Brazil’s Vavá against France in 1958 (second minute). . Randal Kolo Muani became the sixth substitute to score in a Semi-final of the World Cup. . Morocco became the 25th nation to reach a Semi-final of the World Cup and the first from Africa. . Morocco failed in their attempt to become the first African nation to reach a World Cup Final. All the previous finalists had come from the European and South American FIFA confederations. . Morocco were unbeaten in their preceding six games at the World Cup finals (won three); the longest-ever such run by an African nation. . Manager Walid Regragui, who was born in Corbeil-Essonnes, France, made 45 appearances for the Morocco national team between 2001 and 2009 (including 13 World Cup qualifying games). . Morocco had conceded only one goal in their previous eight games since the appointment of manager Walid Regragui in August 2022. . Morocco failed in their attempt to become the first team to keep a clean sheet in five games at a World Cup tournament since Spain in 2010. . The only goal that Morocco had previously conceded at this tournament was Nayef Aguerd’s own goal against Canada. . Youssef En Nesyri failed in his attempt to become the fourth player from an African nation to score three or more goals at a World Cup tournament; previously Roger Milla of Cameroon in 1990 (four), Papa Bouba Diop of Senegal in 2002 (three) and Asamoah Gyan of Ghana in 2010 (three). . This was the first-ever meeting at a major tournament.