Koné praises France's attacking talent after Morocco win

France reached the World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 2–0 victory over Morocco, with Roma midfielder Manu Koné playing a central role in the triumph. Adrien Rabiot, his partner in France's midfield, publicly praised Koné's display after the match, highlighting their dominance in the middle of the park. Rabiot said: "Me and Manu were devastating, we ate them up," referring to the midfield duel. He added broader context on France's control: "We had the feeling that in moments when we didn't have the ball and let them have it, they weren't very dangerous. We had little to fear from this team. That's the feeling we had on the pitch. It's surprising. But they remain a team that can make a difference at any moment because they have extraordinary individual players. That's why we always stayed alert." French media gave Koné equally strong marks. Le Parisien called him "omnipresent", while L'Équipe praised his dominant performance and complete display. The match carried special significance for Roma: Koné and fellow club teammate Neil El Aynaoui faced each other with a semi-final berth at stake. The Frenchman advanced while the Moroccan's tournament ended at the quarter-final stage. After the final whistle, the two Roma players embraced in a show of mutual respect, a gesture later shared on social media by Koné's partner.

France advanced to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup on 9 July, beating Morocco 2–0 in a quarter-final that pitted two AS Roma midfielders against each other. Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scored for France, with Manu Koné and Neil El Aynaoui both starting in midfield and clashing repeatedly in central play throughout an intense contest. Koné was substituted in the 70th minute by manager Deschamps, a precautionary step to shield the Roma midfielder from yellow-card suspension ahead of the semi-final. Koné was on a booking and risked missing France's next match; Zaire-Emery replaced him as France controlled the scoreline. El Aynaoui played the entire match and was a constant presence in Morocco's midfield until the final whistle, though the team's World Cup campaign ended at the quarter-final stage. Koné remains the only AS Roma player still active in the tournament and will feature in France's semi-final against the winner of Spain–Belgium. El Aynaoui completed a World Cup in which he started every match for Morocco, delivering consistency and reliability in central midfield throughout the competition.

France advanced to the World Cup final with a commanding 2–0 victory over Morocco in Boston, with Manu Koné delivering a standout midfield performance. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 60th minute with a curling finish after initially missing a penalty in the first half, before Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead in the 66th with a shot from the edge of the box. Koné, Roma's midfielder, controlled the tempo throughout, recovering possession and breaking up dangerous counterattacks. He played until the 71st minute before being replaced by Zaire-Emery after an impressive display. Neil El Aynaoui and Salah-Eddine, both Roma players, featured for Morocco but could not prevent elimination despite spirited defending. El Aynaoui appeared restricted in the opening stages, while Salah-Eddine, who rejoins Roma on 1 July, was withdrawn at the 74th minute. France dominated possession and created numerous chances, with goalkeeper Bounou making several crucial saves, including a penalty stop from Mbappé at the 25th minute and a block on Doué's effort at the 35th. Morocco offered late resistance through Ounahi and a header from El Aynaoui that cleared the crossbar, but France's superior finishing proved decisive. France will face the winner of Spain versus Belgium, which takes place this evening at 21:00, in the final.