Dembélé: Semifinal Will Be Tough Against Anyone; Reaching This Stage Is Exceptional

French forward Ousmane Dembélé described reaching the 2026 World Cup semifinals as an "exceptional" achievement, marking his third consecutive appearance at this stage with the national team. "I am very happy. We know that playing a World Cup semifinal is something exceptional," Dembélé said after France's 2-0 victory over Morocco. He added that the team has "no preference" for their next opponent, whether it be Spain or Belgium, emphasizing that the crucial aspect is their advancement. "The important thing is that we are in the World Cup semifinals," he stated. Reflecting on the quarterfinal match, Dembélé acknowledged the challenge posed by Morocco's quality players but highlighted France's sustained concentration throughout the game, even after conceding a penalty. "We knew it was going to be difficult because Morocco has quality players, but we maintained our concentration throughout the match, even after the penalty. We stayed focused on achieving qualification," he affirmed. The Paris Saint-Germain forward, a World Cup winner in 2018 and runner-up in the previous edition, is a key player for the French squad as they aim for another title.

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I am very happy. We know that playing a World Cup semifinal is something exceptional. It is the third consecutive one with the French national team since I have been on the team and I am very happy for this qualification.