Brazil and Germany: the decline of two World Cup giants

The Moroccan team meets France again in a World Cup. Since Qatar 2022, the Atlas Lions have earned global respect by reaching the semi-finals, where they fell to Les Bleus. Four years later, fate confronts them again in a match that will determine their place in the next round.

The Moroccan coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, does not want to listen to premature praise. Although his team is already considered a revelation, he rejects it:

“When they say that we have had a successful tournament, I don’t like it. The evaluations must be done at the end. We are doing everything possible to win. We are not going to listen to those who say: ‘What they have done is already good, France is the favorite’. We will not fall into that trap.”

Ouahbi anticipates a complex match. Their message is clear: they will go out and play as if they were on the ropes. “The only prize is to win the Cup. Our strengths are what have brought us back here. We are evolving and so is France. We are better than in 2022,” he stated.

Brahim Díaz, a figure of the team, recognized the talent of the rival, especially his teammates at Real Madrid:

“Aurélien and Kylian are my teammates at Real Madrid. They are great players and beautiful people. But tomorrow we will be rivals. I have confidence in my team. I know we will play a great game.”

Morocco, with its sights on the cup, seeks to show that its performance in 2022 was no coincidence. This duel is an opportunity to write a new page in their football history.

Favorites for the title

With the quarterfinals at hand, only seven games separate the teams from the championship. The betting houses already have clear predictions.

France tops the list with an odds of +187. For every 500 pesos bet, the winner would receive 1,437 pesos if the Gauls lift the trophy on July 19. Trust falls on Kylian Mbappé, who has seven goals in five games. But first they will have to overcome Morocco.

Spain appears in second place, with a quota of +350. A bet of 500 pesos would generate 2,250 pesos in profit. France and Spain could meet in the semifinals if they both beat their rivals.

Betting and odds

Argentina and England occupy third and fourth place, respectively. The Albiceleste has odds of +400: 500 pesos bet would give 2,500 pesos if Lionel Messi wins the two-time championship. For England, the same amount would bring in 2,750 pesos.

The figure of Mbappé has been decisive in raising expectations about France. The betting houses reflect that confidence by positioning the Gauls as the main contenders.

Olav Kooij won the fifth stage of the Tour de France this Wednesday. The Dutchman from Decathlon CMA CGM imposed his speed in a massive sprint in Pau. Torstein Traeen, from Uno-X Mobility, kept the yellow jersey after a quiet day for the peloton.

A breather before the mountain

The stage, 158.3 kilometers between Lannemezan and Pau, was designed for sprinters. Without major promotions, the favorite teams chose to conserve energy. Temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius and the forest fires of previous days made the journey a relief for the runners.

Kooij, 24, was placed in an ideal position by his teammates. He resisted the push of the German Max Kanter and the Belgian Tim Merlier to cross the finish line first. This is his first stage victory in the Tour; He already has three in the Giro d’Italia.

“After a couple of hard days, I was looking forward to this opportunity to sprint. Winning immediately is incredible,” Kooij declared. “It was an easy day until the end, when you know it’s going to be chaotic. Everyone is really looking forward to it and I found my way.”

Traeen, who took the lead in stage 4, is not a candidate to win the overall. Defending champion Tadej Pogacar and two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard crossed the finish line 14 seconds later, both eight minutes behind the Norwegian in the standings.

What’s coming: the Tourmalet

Stage 6 on Thursday will mark a drastic change. It will be 186.2 kilometers with two category 1 mountain passes and the feared Col du Tourmalet, classified HC (out of category). The 17.1 kilometer climb to Tourmalet is one of the most emblematic of the Tour.

The route concludes with an 18.7 kilometer category 2 climb to Gavarnie-Gèdre. Pogacar and Vingegaard are expected to attack each other on these slopes. Last year, Pogacar launched devastating early attacks that Vingegaard couldn’t follow up. Traeen, for his part, will probably give up the yellow jersey.