​A lot can change in four years, especially perception. Morocco were the darlings of the 2022 World Cup in just their sixth appearance. They won a group that included Belgium and the 2018 runners-up, Croatia. In the knockout rounds, they beat Spain on penalties and then Portugal, driven by Cristiano Ronaldo, to reach the semifinals. Then came France. The reigning world champions halted Morocco’s dream run, and manager Walid Regragui warned that mistakes against teams like France come with costly consequences. The blend of skill and experience proved overpowering for the Atlas Lions, who fell 2-0 and finished fourth.
Morocco’s World Cup success in Qatar was the result of a deliberate push to grow from the grassroots up. Amateur registrations surged by 25% since 2019, rising to over 130,000 by the winter that followed. Their men’s team also claimed the Under-20 World Cup title the previous fall, a tournament highlighted by a semifinal victory over France and a 2-0 final win against Argentina. Since Qatar, Morocco has defeated and drawn with Brazil, claimed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title (though the outcome remains disputed), and remained undefeated in World Cup qualifying with a plus-20 goal differential. They are no longer a Cinderella story; they have established themselves among the elite with a rightful seat at the table.
“We have to recognize that Morocco are living through the finest technical era in their football history,” said Mohamed Ouahbi, who coached the U-20 World Cup-winning team and took over the senior side from Regragui in March. Since assuming charge of the senior team, Ouahbi has not lost in ten matches, steering a side that has won six and drawn four and becoming the first African nation to reach the quarterfinals in consecutive World Cups. In a World Cup in which Morocco sits among the last eight, the team has shown itself to be a current force rather than a fleeting narrative.
This edition has seen Morocco rank fourth in total possession among the eight teams still alive at 60.4 percent, and third in total passes with 3,126. Their defense has been meticulously organized, suffocating opponents and allowing only four goals. They press aggressively and move the ball swiftly, carving out chances by finding entry points inside opponents’ penalty boxes to create scoring opportunities. “We have skill and pace, so we needed the right approach,” Ouahbi stated. “We now have a distinctive identity, so it won’t be difficult to explain to the players how I want them to play.”
France, meanwhile, has advanced through the group stage and the initial knockout rounds with few hiccups. Didier Deschamps’ team has seldom had a margin of victory larger than two goals—only their 1-0 Round of 16 win over Paraguay stands out—where Gustavo Alfaro’s plan was to play football, not fútbol. Yet the challenge for France remains substantial, as they stand just a pair of wins away from a potential title, facing a Morocco side that has grown into a genuine heavyweight of world football.
In this evolving landscape, Morocco’s rise is about more than a single World Cup run. The country has cultivated a competitive structure that reaches from foundations up to the highest stage, producing not only a celebrated national team but a broader football culture that is now recognized on the world stage. The path ahead promises further feats as Morocco continues to balance talent, tactical discipline, and a growing footballing infrastructure that supports sustained success.