ARSENAL boss Mikel Arteta may have secretly helped develop the blueprint to Morocco’s stunning World Cup run to the semi-finals.
Morocco manager Walid Regragui – managing at native side Wydad AC at the time – attended the Spaniard’s 2021 masterclass via zoom on the Gunners‘ 2020 FA Cup win.
In that call, Arteta broke down Arsenal’s 2-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City and the behind-closed-doors 2-1 final win over Chelsea.
Regragui, 47, listened with intent and was clearly taking notes, as just a year later he is managing in a World Cup semi-final.
Morocco are the Qatar World Cup’s dark horses, and topped a group consisting of 2018 finalists and fellow semi-finalists, Croatia, as well as Belgium’s golden generation and an impressive Canada side.
The North African side then slayed 2010 winners Spain 3-0 on penalties after drawing 0-0 in normal time.
Portugal came up next in the quarters and Morocco pulled off an unlikely 1-0 win to become the first African country to reach the last four of the competition, going one further than Cameroon 1990, Senegal 2002 and Ghana 2010.
Impressively, Morocco have conceded just one goal in the winter tournament and it didn’t even come from an opposition player.
West Ham’s big money centre-back signing, Nayef Aguerd, turned the ball into the back of his own net against Canada.
Morocco will now face current world champions France, a country it gained independence from in 1956, on Wednesday for a place in Sunday’s final.
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And unlike France’s quarter-final opponents, England, Regragui’s Morocco will not make an anti-Mbappe plan to stop the world beater.
Mbappe will go head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Achraf Hakimi.
Regragui said: “We won’t make an anti-Mbappe plan because unfortunately, there isn’t just him.
“When we know the level of Antoine Griezmann between the lines… but [Achraf] Hakimi is a big champion so I’m not worried.
“They are two champions, who won’t be giving away any gifts. Achraf is highly motivated to beat his friend.”
And should Morocco pull off another major shock, they will face former group mates Croatia in the final, or an Argentina team ready to die for seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
Fellow Argentine hero and Aston Villa goalkeeper, Emi Martinez, said on Messi in 2021: “I want to give him life, I want to die for him.”
Martinez helped Argentina win the Copa America in 2021 and the Finalissima in 2022.
He also saved two of Holland’s spot-kicks in the quarter-final.
