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Kim Willsher
My colleague Kim Willsher in Paris has been reading what the French press is saying about the prospect of Saturday’s quarter-final against England:
Because a country that sent its king and queen to the guillotine France has an enduring and surprising fascination with the monarchy. So it’s no surprise that Saturday’s quarter-final between England and France is billed as a royal duel between King Kylian and Prince Harry.
After Sunday’s games set the stage for a battle between the two countries – historic rivals on and off the pitch despite the Entente Cordiale – Eurosport carried a photograph of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé and declared : “Saturday’s quarter-finals will have an unusual setting. flavor: for the first time in history the French national team and the English national team will cross swords in a direct elimination match”.
France Info headlined with France meeting its “best enemy” and “Prince Harry” referring to Kane shaking the “French kingdom”.
No reference to the Anglo-French rivalry is complete without a reference to “perfidious Albion” and France Info did not disappoint. “Between France and England, [football] The history goes back more than a century to the first match on November 1, 1906 [which England won 15-0]”, he said.
“Since then, Perfida Albion have won 23 of the 40 official duels, with 11 victories for the French and six draws. But 16 of those successes were achieved before the war… In the 21st century, Les Bleus have won four of their six encounters, with one defeat and one draw. And although this match has become a European classic, it will be the first time the two nations have met in the deciding match of an international tournament.”
Read more here: Kim Willsher – King Kylian v Prince Harry: How the French media sees the World Cup quarter-finals
I imagine that the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta has not crossed your mind recently. The enclave is in the far north of Morocco and is the kind of place you could be forgiven for not giving it much thought until, say, Spain and Morocco meet in a last 16 match of the World Cup. Right now, it’s an absolute magnet for reporters looking for a little color to add to their coverage.
Antonio Sempere and Joseph Wilson for the AP have been doing just that, with a piece talking to the people who live there and finding out where their loyalties lie. The long and complex relationship between Morocco and Spain will no doubt form part of the backdrop for Al Rayyan’s party.
Sulaika Hosain, 26, from Ceuta feels “100% Spanish”, but when the game kicks off in Qatar on Tuesday, her sympathies will lean towards Morocco, the land of her grandfather.
“I’m Spanish and I want Spain to win, but I’m rooting for Morocco. When Morocco plays, something moves inside me,” he said in the inner courtyard where he works. “Let them win something, so people can say: look, Morocco is not just a poor place.”
Mohamed Laarbi, 28, runs a bar in Ceuta that shows all the World Cup matches. He is a third generation Spaniard and is fully supported in Spain. Regardless of the result, he does not expect the match to lead to serious problems like the riots in Belgium and the Netherlands after Morocco beat Belgium in the group stage.
“Morocco is playing well, but when they meet Spain they will hit a wall,” he joked. “And then it’s game over. That’s it.”
Still, Laarbi acknowledged that he and other Muslims from Ceuta or the other Spanish territory of Melilla further east up the coast are stuck in a no-man’s land.
“We Moroccans say that we are not Moroccans, that we are children of Spaniards, while the Spaniards of the Iberian Peninsula say that we are not Spanish,” he said. “There are people from the peninsula that when you say you’re from Ceuta, you have to show them where it is, and they say this is Africa.”
A bar worker waves a small Spanish flag in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta. Photograph: Antonio Sempere/AP
Ceuta has been a Spanish possession since 1580, although it is not formally recognized as Spanish territory. It has a mixed population of Christians and Muslims, Spanish and Moroccan residents and day laborers, and has become a political flashpoint over border controls.
For Mohamed Et Touzani, a 35-year-old hairdresser from Ceuta, the message is clear: just enjoy the game. Originally from central Morocco, Et Touzani has lived in different parts of Spain for 15 years and said it is “like my home”.
He has a house, like many people with Moroccan roots, on the other side of the border. He plans to watch the game with Spanish friends in what he called a “Christian” bar in Ceuta. It will cheer up Morocco.
“Football is football, and politics is politics. So we will play a game of football and have fun, but with respect. This is the most important thing,” he said. “Morocco has red and green (on its flag), Spain has red and yellow. We have this in common. We are neighbors and we must live as if we were brothers.”
A man poses with a Moroccan flag in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta. Photograph: Antonio Sempere/AP
Bless him, Marcus Rashford just posted a proud photo of himself with his mum in the stands in Qatar last night.
Here’s an update on the latest situation surrounding Raheem Sterling, via PA Media:
Surrey Police have confirmed they are investigating a burglary in which jewelery and watches were stolen following reports of a break-in at the home of England footballer Raheem Sterling.
In a statement, the force said: “We are currently investigating a report of a burglary at an address in Oxshott, Leatherhead.
“Police were contacted shortly before 9pm on Saturday 3 December after the occupiers of the property arrived at the home and discovered a number of items, including jewelery and watches, had been stolen.
“Enquiries to establish the circumstances are ongoing and the investigation continues. There was no threat of violence as the items were retrospectively discovered stolen. Inquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.”
Ben Fisher
Ben Fisher is in Doha for the Guardian, and here he reports on how Poland’s Matty Cash coped, or didn’t, with Kylian Mbappé:
“I spent the afternoon watching his clips and I knew it would be a tough test, but when he gets the ball, he stops and moves, he’s the fastest I’ve ever seen,” Aston Villa defender Matty Cash , he says “At the end I said, ‘Can I have your shirt?’ and he gave me his match shirt, so I’m delighted with that.”
What’s the difference between drawing how to stop Mbappé while studying footage of him and trying to stifle reality on the pitch? “I’m watching the videos while I’m in bed,” Cash says, laughing. “In real life my legs are burning, that’s the difference. It’s a huge difference. When he gets you upright and moving, he does it really well. Drops shoulder, goes short then long. I entered a couple of races with him and did well. You look over your shoulder and he’s there.”
Read more here: Ben Fisher: ‘Mbappé burned my legs’: Matty Cash on how it feels to face the French star
Morocco will only play their second World Cup final qualifying match tomorrow. They last reached the last 16 in Mexico in 1986. They drew 0-0 with Poland, then England, which was the Ray Wilkins game, and then beat Portugal 3-1 in the last group match to book a place against the West. Germany Here’s how it went down…
Morocco vs West Germany in the round of 16
Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi has been speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca in the build-up to Tuesday’s clash between Morocco and their European neighbours. He told the newspaper:
Spain is one of the top five and always comes to the World Cup to win. But our coach has also taught us to have a winning mentality; it doesn’t matter who we’re up against. We will try to play our way and try to beat them.
We finished first in the group and I think we deserve some respect. I think that Spain knows it and that they should be a little afraid of us. And why can’t we have a surprise again?
It’s something unique, playing for your country. And especially now that we are making history. It’s amazing to see how people live it with us, and this energy conveys a lot to us and gives us strength to continue and seek to do great things.
Morocco faced Spain in their final group game in Russia, where a 91st-minute equalizer from Iago Aspas denied Morocco victory and tied the game 2-2.
Achraf Hakimi during a training session in Qatar. Photograph: Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images
France’s Antoine Griezmann is yet to score as he struggles at this World Cup, but Julien Pretot writes for Reuters in Doha that the attacking midfielder couldn’t care less as he is enjoying his return to the top level with the title defenders.
While Kylian Mbappe scored five goals in Qatar to take his World Cup tally to nine and Olivier Giroud overtook Thierry Henry to become France’s top scorer with 52 goals, Griezmann has been working tirelessly in the engine room behind them without reward.
“I had chances to score against Denmark but I missed them. Maybe I’m not as close to the box as I used to be. I’m playing good games,” said Griezmann, who has played a record 71 consecutive games for Les Bleus.
France’s Antoine Griezmann celebrates the victory over Poland. Photograph: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
“I’m still missing a goal, but I don’t shoot 50 times a game and I’m not obsessed with it. The team needs me in midfield to make the connection between defense and attack. I’m very proud and happy.”
“I owe everything to Didier Deschamps, so when I play, I play for France, for my teammates, but…