This was a French display in keeping with their current mystique. For the second time in five days inside the bedouin tent that is Al Bayt Stadium, France won a high-stakes World Cup knockout game without at any stage being behind; without at any stage playing that well; and also without looking like they were ever seriously going to lose.
For all of Morocco’s whole-hearted intent and growing belief at times, this was another study in Didier Deschamps’ team minimising their opposition to dust. Morocco came close to at least finding the goal which would have caused such celebration at their final stop on what has been a magical carpet ride through this tournament, but they somehow always found a way not to convert their slick play into definitive numbers.
And so it will be France versus Argentina in Sunday’s final, a mouth-watering clash, and no doubt to be billed as Mbappe-v-Messi. But anyone who has studied France and their run to back-to-back World Cup finals will testify that this is very much Antoine Griezmann’s team.
He was once again the conductor against Morocco. No goals were credited to the No 7 again — he is yet to score in Qatar— but he was influential in France’s opener. Raphael Varane’s pass down the inside right channel in the fifth minute was missed by Jawad El Yamiq and met by Griezmann’s assured instep, he took it into his stride, veered in towards goal and then pulled back to Kylian Mbappe whose rebounded shot was eventually sent home by Theo Hernandez.
Griezmann, as much as anyone else, had swooped on opportunism but used it so effectively to prise open the most obdurate defence in the tournament. It told when France’s players turned to him during the celebrations, congratulating his role. One goal up and from then on Morocco were always at arms length, just.
Griezmann gives France their edge
This was Griezmann’s 73rd consecutive match for his country and goes a long way to highlight his stature in this French team who are now one game away from successive world titles. His significance to Deschamps was imprinted all over France’s performance: one moment he would be leaving El Yamiq for dust, the next he would unleash Mbappe on the left with the cleverest diagonal ball.
He may epitomise France’s savoir-faire and ability to get the job done, but this is an individual who didn’t live in France since he was 14 and is so immersed in Spanish life that his drink of choice is mate and he talks to his dog in his adopted tongue. Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, but undoubtedly France too.
Perhaps one should have foreseen Griezmann’s impact on this World Cup — he is a shoe-in for any team of the tournament. Most of this season, Griezmann has been coming off the bench for Atletico Madrid close to the hour mark just so the Spanish club don’t trigger a loan payment due to Barcelona should the 31-year-old play more than a third of game-time.
That particular rouse was brought to an end prior to the World Cup when Atletico signed Griezmann permanently, but his pacing through the first half of the domestic campaign has seen him find a good rhythm without being worn out by 90 minutes of excess.
Griezmann has also been assisted by a change in position. He was voted the third-best player at the 2018 World Cup when he played to the side of Olivier Giroud further towards the wing. Now, more through circumstance than anything else, he plays further back in midfield and has papered over the injury cracks left by Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.
“I ask different things of him,” Deschamps demands. “There is no sacrifice on his part, because he is so giving that he takes pleasure when he touches the ball and when he passes. With his left foot, he is capable of beautiful things and can shoot the set pieces rather well. He has everything to play deeper: the vision, the work-rate, the touch, the energy, the intelligence.”
Eyes will be back on Griezmann at Lusail Stadium on Sunday. The headlines may centre around others, but the play will centre around him.