Manu Koné delivered a commanding display in France's quarter-final victory over Morocco, controlling the midfield with authority and winning plaudits from both critics and teammates. The Roma midfielder was introduced as a starter in the group stage against Iraq before establishing himself as a key figure for Didier Deschamps' side. After Aurélien Tchouameni was injured, Koné returned to the starting lineup for the knockout rounds, including a strong performance against Paraguay in the last-16 before his standout showing in the Morocco match.
Against Morocco, Koné completed 35 of 38 passes for 92% accuracy, delivered one key pass, attempted one shot, recorded six recoveries and won four duels during 71 minutes on the pitch. His display earned widespread French media praise, with suggestions he should start in the semi-final and some naming him man of the match. Teammate Adrien Rabiot praised their partnership after the match, saying: "I and Manu were devastating, we devoured them." Koné reflected on his experience: "It's beautiful to play with Olise, Dembélé, Mbappé and Barcola. Great team, we're happy."
The performances have intensified transfer speculation around the Roma midfielder. After Inter's courtship last summer and Atlético Madrid's rejected offer at the end of the season, Manchester United has reportedly intensified interest. Roma expect Koné to return to training on Monday following his World Cup campaign.
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# Roma Stars Shine as France Reaches World Cup Semi-Finals
France advanced to the World Cup semi-finals with a dominant 2–0 quarter-final victory over Morocco, with goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. The match featured two AS Roma midfielders on opposing sides: Manu Koné started for France while Neil El Aynaoui played for Morocco.
Koné delivered an outstanding performance, controlling the midfield with precision and authority. He completed 35 of 38 passes with 92% accuracy, won all his tackles, and was withdrawn in the 71st minute as a precautionary measure to avoid yellow-card suspension ahead of the semi-final. Teammate Adrien Rabiot praised their partnership, telling reporters: "Manu Koné and I were devastating, we dominated them." French media outlets including Le Parisien and L'Équipe highlighted Koné's commanding display, describing him as omnipresent and crediting him with playing a complete match.
Il Romanista notes that Koné's World Cup performances have intensified transfer speculation, with Manchester United reportedly monitoring the Roma midfielder closely alongside previous interest from Inter and Atlético Madrid. Roma expects him to return to training on Monday following the tournament. El Aynaoui completed the full match for Morocco but could not prevent elimination despite spirited defending.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“Dominante. Con un solo termine si può riassumere la prestazione di Manu Koné contro il Marocco. Recuperi, duelli vinti, egemonia fisica e una prova complessivamente di ottimo livello. Perché se la Nazionale di Didier Deschamps surclassa nei quarti di finale il Marocco, offrendo una chiara…”
Read the full article in Italian at Il Romanista.