Between a respectable performance and a ghost team… Morocco’s newspapers split after the Lions were knocked out of the World Cup.

The Moroccan team showed a different face against France and could not repeat their achievement

Moroccan newspapers and media shared their assessment of the Atlas Lions’ journey from the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals after losing 2-0 to France. Most platforms praised the overall performance of the team and its journey in the tournament, while others criticized the level at which the players showed up in the match.

Morocco finished their tournament in the quarter-finals, repeating the scenario of 2022, when they also had a bye against France, but have made a remarkable presence this season, drawing with Brazil and knocking out the Netherlands on penalties in the last 16.

Despite this, the Moroccan national team could not repeat its achievement, reaching the semi-finals of the previous draw.

“Head up”

is considered a newspaperIf they dieThe Moroccan team said goodbye to the tournament with their heads held high, stressing that their new participation has strengthened their position among the world’s leading teams.

The newspaper wrote that Morocco exited the competition after an emphatic campaign characterized by solidity, discipline and the ability to keep up with the strongest teams, adding that the achievement confirmed that what was achieved at the Qatar 2022 World Cup was not just an exception, but rather a milestone on the way to the continued development of Moroccan football.

He noted that the Atlas Lions team has become one of the most popular international teams today, expressing his optimism for continued development in the coming years.

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“He came out of the big door.”

In turn, he saw the site “Le360 Sports“This time, the Moroccan team faced a stronger and more efficient French team, which was able to use its decisive moments to secure a qualification ticket.

The website confirmed that coach Mohamed Wehbe’s men exited the tournament “at the big door”, noting that Morocco, as the only Arab and African team to reach the quarter-finals, had no reason to be embarrassed after losing to one of the most popular contenders to win the title.

He added that this edition represents the end of a dream of an exceptional generation, but at the same time it confirms the great leap Moroccan football has made since the World Cup in Qatar, considering that the future still has a lot to look forward to, especially when Morocco hosts the 2030 World Cup in partnership with Spain and Portugal.

Praise for performance despite the odds

The newspaper, in turn, described “News“The performance of the Moroccan team against France was honorable and competitive, despite the recognition of the excellence of the French team.

The newspaper emphasized that reaching the quarter-finals remains a new historic achievement for Moroccan football and reflects the team’s continued development on the world stage.

Harsh criticism

On the other hand, the newspaper acceptedIn the evening“A sharper tone considering that the Moroccan team was far from the level it represented in the previous matches.

The newspaper directly criticized the captain of the national team, Ashraf Hakim, emphasizing that he did not present the usual addition on the right front, while individual errors contributed to the miscarriage of attempts to build attacks.

He added that the team did not capitalize on its advantages during the match, considering that competing with big teams requires investing in opportunities rather than following the opponent without effective attack.

The paper concluded its assessment by saying that the Moroccan team lacked courage and described the performance against France as a “ghost team”, noting that the result raised many questions about this sudden decline.

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