In just two decades, Morocco has transformed from a team routinely eliminated in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and failing to qualify for multiple World Cups into a top-10 FIFA-ranked side, a World Cup semifinalist in 2022, and a credible contender for this summer's biggest tournament.
The success extends far beyond the senior men's team. Morocco are the 2025 AFCON champions (after Senegal were stripped of the title), 2025 Women's AFCON finalists, 2025 FIFA Arab Cup champions, 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) champions, 2025 U-20 FIFA World Cup champions, 2025 U-17 AFCON champions, 2024 Olympic bronze medalists, and 2024 Futsal AFCON champions.
A source close to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation attributed the success to three pillars: good governance, financial investment, and competent human resources. The strategy, launched by King Mohammed VI in 2008, included governance reforms, a national financial control department, and massive infrastructure investment, including thousands of local football pitches.
The Mohammed VI complex and academy near Rabat rivals top technical centers like France's Clairefontaine. It has produced stars such as Nayef Aguerd, Azzedine Ounahi, and Youssef En-Nesyri. FIFA rule changes also allowed Morocco to recruit diaspora players like Hakim Ziyech, Nordin Amrabat, and Brahim Diaz.
The latest addition is 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, a Lille midfielder who reportedly turned down overtures from Zinedine Zidane to play for France. Fans see his commitment as a historic moment for Moroccan football.
However, the controversial penalty in the 2025 AFCON final caused instability. Senegal walked off the pitch but returned, and Morocco lost. Coach Walid Regragui resigned and was replaced by Mohamed Ouahbi, who led the U-20 team to World Cup glory. Questions remain whether Ouahbi's attacking style suits World Cup demands.
Morocco's football rise is part of a long-term national project. Even the 2030 World Cup on home soil is not an end goal but a milestone to accelerate the country's broader development.
Source: www.aljazeera.com