France-Morocco: Reaction from global media to France's win

We almost had a World Cup Final matchup that would have guaranteed a first-time winner. Instead we have two-time champion Argentina against two-time champion France in yet another Western European-Eastern South American showdown.

France is now in back-to-back finals – the first nation to do so since Brazil in 1998 and 2002. And France is seeking to become the first back-to-back champion since Brazil won in 1958 and 1962.

Let’s take a look at how newspapers from around the world covered the semi-final:

French reaction

Le Dauphine captures the national mood with “Only Happiness”:

L’Equipe says it’s the “Final Flight”:

Le Parisien with a reminder that “We’re Still There!”:

Sud Ouest says that France are “A Little Closer to the Star”:

Moroccan coverage

Al Maghribia, a Moroccan Arabic-language paper, delivers the beautiful headline of “You Honored Us, Our Lions. Raise your Heads, Our Heroes”:

Le Matin, a Moroccan French-language paper, says “Chin up. The Atlas Lions Stop at the Foot of the Final!”:

International coverage

The National, out of the United Arab Emirates, focuses on the Moroccan angle:

The Wall Street Journal, America’s leading financial newspaper, did what many American newspapers did in featuring the semi-final result on its front page:

The New York Daily News also found a little room to mention the final:

Argentina’s Cronica says that the country is “Thirsty for Revenge” after the national team’s loss to France in the 2018 Round of 16:

Staying in Argentina, La Gaceta says that France is “the final hurdle”:

Also in Argentina, El Hincha says that it’s a “Champagne Final”:

Italy’s Corriere dello Sport, in an insult to Juventus legend Ronaldo, says that the matchup is between the “best of their generations”

Italys La Gazzetta dello Sport says that the Messi-Mbappé matchup is “A King’s Game”:

Spain’s Marca says that Mbappé is threatening Messi’s dream: