On the only day off he has had during this World Cup, Kylian Mbappe chose to visit the Wyndham Doha West Bay hotel where the Moroccan team were staying. 

Why? Because he wanted to see his friend, Achraf Hakimi.

If Jordan Henderson and Jude Bellingham has been the ‘bromance’ of this tournament

Then the relationship between Mbappe and Hakimi has been its closest friendship.

And now they stand – literally – in each other’s way as holders France face Morocco, the tournament’s surprise package, in Wednesday’s semi-final. 

The Moroccan right-back, who is his country’s highest-profile and arguably best player, will be tasked with stopping Mbappe

Who primarily operates down France’s left flank and is undoubtedly his country’s highest-profile and best player.

As Morocco coach Walid Regragui put it: “Hakimi knows Mbappe better than I do.” 

Interestingly, in contrast to England’s approach, Regragui added: “We are not going to make an anti-Mbappe plan.” We will see.

Indeed, it will be fascinating to see how the contest unfolds because the two players really are best friends. 

It is a friendship that developed after Paris Saint-Germain signed Hakimi from Inter Milan for up to £60 million in July 2021.

Mbappe, who speaks fluent Spanish as well as English and French and is learning Portuguese and Italian

Immediately sought Hakimi out and not least because he wanted to practise his Spanish on him. Hakimi now also speaks French.

There were other Spanish speakers in the PSG squad, such as Angel Di Maria, but they were older. 

Mbappe is 23, Hakimi is 24 and they are very similar, outgoing characters and they connected. 

Both are the sons of immigrant African families – Paris-born Mbappe’s parents are of Cameroonian and Algerian origins, Madrid-born Hakimi’s are, of course, Moroccan

And there was a mutual bond that quickly strengthened.

Mbappe brought Hakimi into his circle and helped find him somewhere to live, showed him the restaurants to go to, took him clothes shopping

And played video games with him. 

The friendship blossomed and has been noticed on the pitch. 

When PSG’s Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes – now on loan at Juventus – had a go at Hakimi it was Mbappe who stepped in.

And when, critically, it looked last summer like Mbappe was leaving PSG with his contract running down and Real Madrid

Where Hakimi’s career had started – lurking, Hakimi told him that he, too, would leave Paris. Thankfully for PSG, Mbappe signed a new deal.

Last year, there was a famous photograph after PSG were forced by poor weather to take a coach to their away match against Stade Rennais, rather than fly. 

It shows Mbappe and Hakimi sitting on the floor of a Carrefour Express supermarket after the bus stopped at a service station.

In Qatar they have been in constant contact with each other. 

That has been evidenced on social media with Mbappe responding to the audacious ‘Panenka’ penalty that Hakimi scored to beat Spain the last-16 penalty shoot-out by tweeting his friend’s name

followed by a series of emojis including one of a penguin to mimic the defender’s celebrations (it is a celebration the PSG players have previously adopted). 

Hakimi even calls Mbappe “pinguino” and signed that on a hat-trick ball claimed by the forward.

Now they will play against each other and the stakes could barely be higher. It will be intriguing to see how they respond. 

Given’s Mbappe’s status at PSG and as being regarded as the best player in the world at present, will Hakimi be intimidated or will it spur him on?

There is another dimension. 

In January, PSG finally flew to Doha for their delayed annual winter tour with Mbappe and Hakimi recording a video 

That has now proved to be eerily accurate, especially as few predicted that Morocco would progress so far in this tournament 

They are the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final.

“We’re here in the stadium, Education City Stadium,” Mbappe said to the camera in English, “40,000 people can come here. 

France-Tunisia. I hope we’ll win and then after we’ll play against Morocco.”

As he looked at Hakimi, he then said: “I’ll have to destroy my friend.” Hakimi responded: “I’m going to kick him” to which Mbappe replied, laughing:

“That will break my heart a little bit. But, you know football. It is what it is. It is what it is. I have to kill him.”

Given Morocco have the best defence at this World Cup, having only conceded one goal, and that being an own goal, it is a fascinating contest. 

And one all the more intriguing because of the close friendship which could be key to the outcome.

Follow us to see more useful information, as well as to give us more motivation to update more useful information for you.