Why is Bradley Barcola benched for France vs Morocco in FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final?

France have won all their games in regular time.

France are set to take on Morocco in the quarterfinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The two sides are set to play the replay of the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinal, in which Les Bleus secured a resounding 2-0 win over the North African side.

The line-ups for the game have been announced, with Mike Maignan keeping the gloves for the two-time champions. The entire defence, consisting of Lucas Digne, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, and Jules Kounde, will remain the same, as will the midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Kouadio Kone.

However, head coach Didier Deschamps has made one change by benching Bradley Barcola, and fans are wondering the reason behind the decision.

Also Read: France starting lineup vs Morocco confirmed

Why is Bradley Barcola on the bench against Morocco?

Bradley Barcola is not starting for France in the quarterfinal game against Morocco due to a tactical decision taken by head coach Didier Deschamps. His Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate, Desire Doué, has got his third start of the summer competition and first in the knockout stage. However, Barcola will remain an available option off the bench as a substitute.

The 23-year-old made a brief 10-minute cameo in the first game against Senegal, where he also scored a goal. His performance earned him a start in Les Bleus’s second group stage fixture against Iraq.

He was again called off the bench against Norway, and he provided an assist to Desire Doué’s only goal in the summer competition. Later, he was named in the starting XI for both the knockout games by head coach Didier Deschamps. Against Sweden, he played the full 90 minutes and scored his second goal of the competition.

However, Bradley Barcola struggled to get his shots on target against Paraguay in the round of 16 and was subbed out in the 61st minute, with Desire Doué called in. In the meantime, the 21-year-old created the most chances (three), had the joint most touches in the opposition box (five), and also won a penalty.

Additionally, Barcola is also on a yellow card that he received during the Paraguay game. Nevertheless, fans should expect to see him in the second half, or maybe in extra time if the scores remain level at the end of regulation time.

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