Hakimi highly motivated to ‘beat his friend’ Mbappe

Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi is eagerly waiting for the FIFA World Cup semi-final clash against France since he has his eyes set on beating his friend Kylian Mbappe.

The battle between the Paris Saint-Germain teammates will be key during the highly-anticipated clash.

"We won’t make an anti-Mbappé plan because unfortunately, there isn’t just him. When we know the level of Antoine Griezmann between the lines… but Hakimi is a big champion so I’m not worried,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said at a pre-match press conference.

"They [Hakimi and Mbappe] are two champions, who won’t be giving away any gifts. Achraf is highly motivated to beat his friend,” he added.

Regragui also reiterated that his side is hungry for more after becoming the first African team to reach the last four of the FIFA World Cup.

"If we are happy just to reach semi-final and some see that as enough, I don´t agree," he said.

"If you get to the semi-finals and you are not hungry then there is a problem.

"The best team in the tournament, Brazil is already out. We are an ambitious team and we are hungry but I don´t know if that will be enough.”

The Morocco coach was quick to offer a reminder that his team had upset Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds to set up their last four meeting with Didier Deschamps´ side.

"We had perhaps the most difficult route to the semis. Every round people thought we would get knocked out but we are still here and we are going to fight to the end," he said.

Morocco have several injury concerns however including key central defender Romain Saiss but Regragui said there was no decision yet on their fitness.

"We have a number of injuries but we have an excellent medical staff who are working hard and coming with good news every day," said Regragui.

"We will have to wait to last minute, we tend to do that, no one is out but no one is definitely in either," he said.