CORNERFLICK
Morocco have reopened their grievance over the 2022 World Cup semi-final against France ahead of the two sides meeting again in the 2026 quarter-finals.
Moroccan media and supporters have revisited the match in the build-up to the tie, with the football federation having lodged a formal complaint to FIFA after the game over several refereeing decisions. Their main complaints centred on two possible penalties, one involving Sofiane Boufal around the 30-minute mark and another on Selim Amallah just before half-time.
Le Matin said Mexican referee César Arturo Ramos failed to award Morocco “two clear penalties” and described the VAR silence as hard to understand. Reporter Abderrahmane Ichi told RMC Sport he hoped the latest meeting would be decided on the pitch.
There is at least some comfort for Moroccan fans: FIFA has appointed Argentine official Facundo Tello, who refereed Morocco’s 1-0 win over Portugal in the 2022 quarter-finals. Didier Deschamps declined to revisit the semi-final controversy, saying errors belong to players, not referees, and hoping for as little officiating debate as possible.