France eased past Morocco to reach the World Cup semi-finals, and the prospect of a repeat of the 2022 final against Argentina is becoming increasingly realistic.Didier Deschamps’ side will face either Spain or Belgium in the last four, with those two European heavyweights meeting in Los Angeles on Friday.Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Morocco, leaving France as the 11/8 favourites to lift the trophy. Les Bleus are now chasing a third consecutive World Cup final appearance and the opportunity to avenge the heartbreak they suffered in Qatar four years ago.France pushed Argentina all the way in one of the greatest World Cup finals ever played before eventually losing on penalties after an epic 3-3 draw. Now, the stage is being set for a potential rematch.
Lionel Messi is once again inspiring Argentina, who take on Switzerland in a quarter-final in Kansas City.The defending champions have not had everything their own way, edging past Cape Verde after extra time in the round of 32 before producing a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 in the last 16.
Argentina are 8/11 favourites to progress and, if they do, will face either England or Norway for a place in the final.With Argentina now just two victories away and France just one away from another showdown, bookmakers believe France versus Argentina is the most likely final still on the table. A repeat of the 2022 decider is priced at 11/4 to take place in New Jersey on July 19, while an all-European final between France and England is considered the next most likely outcome.Although Argentina prevailed in their unforgettable meeting in Qatar, bookmakers believe France would start as favourites if the two footballing giants renew their rivalry on the sport’s biggest stage.As the first team in the last four, France are the clear favourites to win the World Cup. Les Bleus were favoured before beating Morocco comfortably on Thursday and their odds obviously became shorter after that win. While France are 11/8, Spain are 7/2 and Argentina are 4/1 before their quarter-finals take place. Regardless of the results of the remaining quarter-finals, France are expected to remain the favourites to win what would be their third World Cup and second out of the last three.Jul 10, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
