It was the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup against Spain. Achraf Hakimi stepped up in the penalty shootout and calmly sent his spot-kick into the net, sealing Morocco's place in the quarter-finals.

Kylian Mbappe seemed ready for that moment. On X (then Twitter), he posted a simple message: "Achraf Hakimi"—accompanied by three emojis: a crown, a heart and a penguin.

Why the penguin? Moments earlier, Hakimi had celebrated his winning penalty with his trademark penguin dance. It was a celebration Mbappe knew well. During their time together at Paris Saint-Germain, the two close friends had often performed it after scoring.

The story of Mbappe and Hakimi's friendship is well known. Many will also remember that before the 2022 World Cup began, the two recorded a video in Qatar, joking that they would eventually face each other in the tournament.

That prediction came true.

France met Morocco in the semi-finals, turning one their friendship into an on-field rivalry. For 90 minutes, the two friends became opponents.

Mbappe emerged victorious, but he never stopped showing empathy for his friend after the final whistle.

The same emotions are expected to return tonight in Boston.

This time, the stage is the quarter-finals. While the headlines will focus on France versus Morocco, beneath the surface lies another compelling story—the reunion of two close friends forced to become rivals once again.

For around two hours, Mbappe and Hakimi will have to put one of football's finest friendships aside.