France and Morocco will meet in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. This is the first time an African team has entered the group of four strongest teams, while France also aims to defend its championship title. The match also became very attractive because the duel involved two close friends – Mbappe and Hakimi.

The promise of two close friends

In May 2022, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi visited Education City Stadium in Qatar, where the match between the France and Tunisia teams took place. The French striker has expressed his desire to face Morocco in the 2022 World Cup. At that time, Mbappe’s words were more like an encouragement to his close friend Hakimi, instead of a serious analysis. However, the tournament contained many surprises in Qatar, bringing France and Morocco together in the semi-finals.

The friendship between Mbappe and Hakimi began in the summer of 2021, when the 24-year-old full-back moved to play for PSG. Mbappe was the first person to talk to Hakimi on the first day the Moroccan star got acquainted with the new team. Hakimi speaks Spanish and coincidentally, Mbappe is also learning the language. Their close age also helped the two young stars become close quickly.

During the first months, Mbappe acted as ‘guardian’ for his new teammate. He took Hakimi to choose a house, go out to eat and buy clothes. Mbappe even brought his new friend home to meet his parents. Soon, Hakimi was always by Mbappe’s side from the Camp des Loges training ground to the rich neighborhoods of Paris.

Hakimi often sleeps and plays games with Mbappe. They share secret secrets and even come up with the coolest ways to celebrate. Both have a common vision about football and are somewhat rebellious individuals who like to explore new things. Last year, Mbappe was said to have had a disagreement with a group of South American players such as Paredes, Di Maria, and Messi. This time makes him even closer to Hakimi. According to the French press, Mbappe defended his close friend when the Moroccan player was scolded by senior Leandro Paredes on the training field.

In May, the press spread rumors that Mbappe would move to play for Real Madrid when a photo of the player hanging out in the Spanish capital was posted online. However, that was just one of many times Mbappe went to Madrid to hang out with his friend Hakimi by private plane.

Hakimi was also the first person Mbappe informed about his decision to stay at PSG instead of going to Real Madrid. That shows the trust that the French player has in his friend. Sometimes, Mbappe is described as a selfish and arrogant person in the eyes of fans. But before Hakimi, he was just a fun-loving boy who had found the ‘hardcore’ of his life.

Decisive battle in Qatar

Mbappe and Hakimi cannot be separated, even when the 2022 World Cup is taking place. They communicated by phone most of their time in Qatar. On his only day off on December 5, Mbappe went to the Morocco team’s headquarters to meet Hakimi. The next day, the French star massaged while watching the match in the 1/8 round, where Hakimi and his teammates defeated Spain on penalties.

Hakimi continued his impressive form to help the home team overcome Portugal in the quarterfinals, thereby becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup. He will have to put aside his personal feelings to prevent Mbappe from scoring. Hakimi plays in the right-back position, facing directly against Mbappe.

At the 2022 World Cup, Mbappe had 5 goals. In total, after two World Cups, Mbappe scored 9 times for the French team. This achievement helped him surpass Soccer King Pele, becoming the player under 24 years old with the most goals in World Cup history.

Hakimi also has the highest number of successful tackles in the tournament. The two once faced off in the Champions League, when Hakimi was still playing for Borussia Dortmund. At that time, Hakimi also often won in duels. Now that the two understand each other so well, Mbappe will need explosive moments to overcome his close friend.

Regardless of the outcome of tonight’s match, Mbappe and Hakimi are ready to give a match of a lifetime. France meets Morocco, a match that hasn’t been played yet but will certainly be mentioned for many years to come. The 2022 World Cup could be the last tournament for Messi, Ronaldo or Modric. World football will welcome a new generation of superstars, typically the close friends duo Mbappe and Hakimi.