France cruise into World Cup semi-finals - could this be the best Les Bleus ever?

France booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a comfortable 2-0 win over Morocco, a result that extends their unbeaten run through the tournament and reinforces their status as favourites heading into the closing stages. For a squad already carrying the weight of two previous world titles, the quarter-final win has revived a bold question among pundits: is this the best France team ever assembled?

Kylian Mbappé was once again central to the victory, involved directly in the build-up to both goals and offering the kind of individual moments that have made him widely regarded as one of the best players in the world at present. His performance continued a tournament in which he has repeatedly been the difference between France simply winning and France dominating.

The match was not entirely free of tension for Mbappé, who appeared to pick up a knock during the game. He later downplayed the incident, telling reporters he was "all good" and moving quickly to reassure supporters that the issue would not affect his availability for the semi-final.

France's run to the last four continues a remarkable pattern of sustained success stretching back nearly three decades. The current squad is frequently compared to France's title-winning sides of 1998 and 2018, both of which combined individual brilliance with defensive solidity, a formula this year's team has largely followed so far.

What distinguishes the current group, according to many observers, is squad depth. Where earlier French sides often relied heavily on a small core of standout players, this squad has drawn contributions from across the field, reducing its dependence on any single individual even as Mbappé remains its most recognisable figure.

The manner of the win over Morocco, controlling long periods of the game rather than relying on moments of individual magic alone, has added weight to the argument that France's success this tournament reflects genuine collective strength rather than simply a run of favourable fixtures.

Morocco, for their part, competed well for spells of the match and had entered the quarter-final with considerable momentum of their own, having already outperformed expectations by reaching this stage of the tournament. Their exit ends a competitive run that drew praise throughout the competition, even as France ultimately proved too strong across the full 90 minutes.

Attention now turns to France's semi-final opponents, with the squad entering the next round as one of the clear favourites to reach the final. Analysts note that the team's blend of experience from the 2018 triumph and emerging young talent gives it a rare combination of composure and hunger heading into the tournament's most demanding stage.

French football pundits have been cautious about definitively ranking this squad above the 1998 or 2018 vintages so early, noting that a genuine claim to being the greatest France team in history would likely require lifting the trophy itself, something that remains two wins away.

For now, the achievement stands on its own: a comfortable, controlled win that pushes France one step closer to a third World Cup title in less than three decades, and keeps alive one of international football's most compelling ongoing storylines.