“We will do what Ghana did in 2010” - Sofiane Boufal’s wild claim from September resurfaces after Morocco’s victory against Spain

Hours after Morocco’s historic victory over Spain in the 2022 FIFA World Cup last 16, Moroccan star Sofiane Boufal’s wild World Cup prediction has come to light. In September, Boufal claimed that Morocco would replicate Ghana’s World Cup heroics and go into the quarter-finals if they qualified from the group stage in Qatar.

Beating Spain 3-0 on penalties (0-0 after extra time) on Tuesday (6 December), Morocco sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The clash against Portugal on 10 December will mark Atlas Lions’ first-ever game in the quarter-final stage of the FIFA World Cup.

Boufal, who tormented Spain with his dizzying run and blistering pace on Tuesday, seemingly predicted Morocco’s dream run. Two months before the ball rolled in Qatar, he had predicted that his team would progress to the quarters, just like Ghana did in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Boufal claimed:

“You’re going to think I’m a crazy person. But if we get past the group stage, and we will Inshallah, we are going to the quarter-finals, we will be the surprise. We will do what Ghana did in 2010.”

Morocco not only qualified from Group F, but they also topped it handsomely, picking up seven points from three matches. They drew 0-0 with Croatia, beat Belgium 2-0, and won 2-1 against Canada to set up a last-16 clash against Spain.

Having matched Ghana’s 2010 World Cup run, Morocco will look to go beyond that. The Black Stars were eliminated by Uruguay on penalties after seeing a goal saved off the line by Luis Suarez’s hand.

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Spain coach Luis Enrique insists he’s satisfied with his team after shock Morocco defeat

Speaking to the press after Spain’s shock World Cup elimination on Tuesday, Luis Enrique insisted that his boys had done everything that was asked of them. He claimed that the Spaniards had completely dominated the game and only lacked a goal.

Enrique said (via Marca):

“If we have done anything, it has been to dominate the game. We can be blamed for having generated few chances. We lacked the goal. I am more than satisfied with what he has done my team, who have perfectly executed my idea of football. I am proud of them. Bono has been spectacular and I wish Morocco the best.”

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stopped Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets’ penalties in the shootout, while Pablo Sarabia hit the post. Abdelhamid Sabiri, Hakim Ziyech, and Achraf Hakimi put away their respective spot kicks to take Morocco through to the quarter-finals where they will take on Portugal.