Dec 14, 2022; Al Khor, Qatar; A general view outside of Al Bayt Stadium before a semifinal match between France and Morocco during the 2022 World Cup Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

Car hits, kills teen after France World Cup win over Morocco

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 12/15/22

There's been yet another tragic event associated with the 2022 FIFA World Cup being held in Qatar.

According to the Associated Press, Paul Kirby of BBC News, Sky Sports News, and other outlets, a 14-year-old male was run over and killed in Montpellier shortly after France defeated Morocco in the World Cup semifinal match on Wednesday (U.S. time).

Kirby noted that, "France has a large Moroccan community of some 1.5 million people" but also said that gatherings between France and Morocco supporters related to the World Cup on Wednesday, "were largely peaceful." Police wearing riot gear were called in to break up disturbances that involved some fans lighting flares, damaging cars, and shooting fireworks.

167 arrests were reported throughout France.

#FRAMAR d'un côté les supporters marocains de l'autre les supporters français. Tirs de mortiers à plein régime pic.twitter.com/H3HI4xJFP5
— Midi Libre Montpellier (@MLMontpellier) December 14, 2022

Montpellier Mayor Michaël Delafosse said in a brief statement he and others were shocked at the "terrible tragedy." He vowed that those responsible for "this cowardly act" would be brought to justice.

Per Annabel Nugent of The Independent, ITV Sport technical director Roger Pearce died while covering the World Cup in Qatar last month. American journalist Grant Wahl died suddenly at the age of 48 covering last Friday's World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands, and his wife later announced that Wahl suffered an aneurysm and that no foul play was involved.

Before his passing, Wahl had written about how a migrant worker died at Saudi Arabia's training resort during the tournament's group stage. Qatari photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam and a security guard have also died while working the World Cup.

France will play against Argentina in the World Cup Final on Sunday.

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