After their historic run tothe semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African nation to achieve this feat, Morocco’s Atlas Lions reach their seventh finals tournament looking to solidify their status.
Led by Mohamed Ouabhi, fresh from winning the U20 World Cup, Morocco begin the North American World Cup with a crucial match against Brazil, coached by Italian Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian recently stated that Morocco is considered Brazil’s main rival in the race for first place in Group C of the 2026 World Cup.
“Morocco is considered our main opponent in our group. This match could be decisive in securing first place. A first-place finish would give us a more favourable path in the knockout stage of the World Cup,” the former Real Madrid coach said.
Morocco and Brazil will face off on June 13 at MetLife Stadium in one of the most anticipated matches of the group stage.
The result of this duel could have a significant impact on the race for first place in Group C and influence the progress of both teams in the rest of the competition.
With Yassine Bounou in goal, Brahim Diaz and Sibari in attack, and Achraf Hakimi and Mezraoui in defense, Morocco is preparing for a new campaign where the objective will not simply be to make up the numbers, but to prove that their Doha triumph was not a flash in the pan.
Mohamed Ouahbi’s men must first play Brazil, before facing Scotland and Haiti. The opening match against Brazil in New York, New Jersey, will serve as an immediate test to gauge their ambitions
against the most decorated team in World Cup history, a team brimming with talent such as Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Endrick, Casemiro, and Marquinhos, among others.
The Atlas Lions’ goalkeeper, Yassine Bonou, reassured fans, emphasising that “the players’ quality is still there,” and that “the right mindset will be there too, because it’s a World Cup and every player dreams of participating.
For some, it might be their last. For others, it will be a baptism of fire.” Ranked 22nd in the FIFA rankings at the start of the Qatar World Cup, Morocco has now climbed to 7th place, rubbing shoulders with the elite of world football, ahead of nations like Belgium and Germany. This giant leap has changed the way observers and analysts view the tournament.
The Atlas Lions thus embark on this global adventure as respected powerhouses, which brings a whole new kind of pressure. Bounou, however, urges his teammates to stay grounded, even though confidence is sky-high in the locker room.
“Let’s be honest: there are teams that are more favoured than us. For our part, we’ve been on a trajectory of continuous improvement since 2022. Let’s try to keep this momentum going. After that, it’s impossible to say how far we can go,” he says.
“We feel respected, and that should give us confidence. I think there’s a sense of credibility that we perhaps didn’t feel before as an African team,” notes the Moroccan goalkeeper, a trusted man of
Mohamed Ouahbi, who succeeded Walid Regragui on the bench last March.
After Morocco’s 1-1 draw against Norway on Sunday, June 7, in their final warm-up match before the World Cup, the opening match against Brazil is already shaping up to be one of the blockbusters of the group stage. It will be the moment of truth to confirm the Lions’ status against the masters of the game. Scotland will then offer a radically different challenge, characterised by
athletic intensity and European-style organization, while Haiti will play with the ambition of a newcomer.
But Morocco will have the support of a large crowd coming from all corners of the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, and especially Morocco. This will be an extra incentive for the international players to give their all.
“At the 2026 World Cup, Morocco will once again leave its mark on world football. I am convinced that the Moroccan people will be proud and happy for their team. Let’s hope we can repeat something truly, truly great, just like in 2022,” Yassine Bounou says.
Four days before their opening match against Brazil, the Atlas Lions received several pieces of good news regarding the players’ health.
While concerns had grown after the friendly against Norway, Noussair Mazraoui, Chamseddine Talbi, and Anass Salah-Eddine have all resumed training. However, the Abdessamad Ezzalzouli situation continues to worry the Moroccan coaching staff, while Nayef Aguerd remains under observation.
A regular participant in the World Cup since the 1970s, Morocco made African history in 1986 by becoming the first nation from the continent to reach the Round of 16.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Atlas Lions reached the semi-finals after notably eliminating
Spain and Portugal.
Morocco, having become the first African team to reach this stage of the competition, hopes to reach the final this time.
The tournament begins on June 11 with cohosts Mexico facing South Africa.
AK/Sf/fss/as/APA