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Morocco’s history at the Qatar World Cup 2022 is remembered with impressive, powerful and timeless images. quarterfinal victory over Portugal: the highlight – Youssef En-Nesyri’s match-winning goal – against Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, Hakim Ziyech’s crazy game that has moved the 2016 European champions, and Soufiane Boufal’s dance with his mother on the pitch during the post-match fun.
Four years later, none of these players have made it to the World Cup in North America.
Instead, those who took part in the unforgettable tournament were Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilal El-Khanouss and the players.
The then celebrated manager, Walid Regragui, has also been sidelined.
Although it has changed a lot, Morocco has yet to lose a match and has done so advanced to the Round of 16 after sending the Netherlands in the penalty shootout on Monday.
Comparisons between the classes of 2022 and 2026 were inevitable. They started at the bottom of the group, where it was said that Morocco’s team of four years ago led their group while this one failed to beat Haiti and Scotland with big jump lines in Brazil in Group C.
To impress the opposition, the current generation may need to match or better the 2022 semifinal run.
Morocco 2022: Scenarios and preventive measures
In 2022, the technology system was simple but effective.
Head coach Regragui was suddenly appointed following Bosnian manager Vahid Halilhodzic’s disagreement with several players.
Regragui had at least three months before the start of the National Committee to select his players and implement a strategic plan. Realizing that time was not on his side, he kept things simple.
“Regragui’s team was very defensive,” Mohammad Alrfae, coach of Jordanian Premier League team Al Ahli SC, told Al Jazeera.
“They had older, more experienced players from the big European clubs at their disposal.”
Despite their technical skills, the team did not show the desire to dominate the economy under Regragui at Qatar 2022. In fact, their highest score came in the only game they lost – against France in the semifinal.
Morocco, under Regragui, was not as bad as other sides that used the same tactics. They put their backs between their goal and the midfield, instead of combining deep in what is called a block but left behind to lure the opposition into their traps.
En-Nesyri, the player of the 2022 team was successful due to the amount of his work by preventing the opposition defenders from passing easily to the center and forcing the opposition teams to many areas.
The larger sections of the stadium were filled with famous players. The defenders, who are still part of the 2026 group, Noussair Mazraoui and Hakimi joined the wings and wanted to win the ball and create dangerous attacks.
Morocco was so good at stopping work in midfield that opponents – especially Portugal in the 1-0 quarter-final loss – dropped too far to receive the ball, preventing them from attacking.
But what happened when Morocco faced the lower teams?
In two consecutive Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco failed to lift the trophy, exiting in the Round of 16 (2023) and losing 1-0 in the 2025 edition, which they hosted.
The final was a testy affair, with Senegal seeing a goal disallowed in the last minute of the game before Morocco conceded a penalty.
Enraged, the Senegalese left the field. Although Morocco missed the target and lost 1-0, they were declared AFCON champions after the on-field results disappeared and Morocco was beaten 3-0 by CAF.
The results were later reversed and Morocco were declared champions of the conflict.
To make matters worse, Morocco faced long-standing claims that the referees favored Morocco. The players did not help themselves by asking for and receiving a change of referee before the quarter-finals against Cameroon.
Morocco 2026: Youthful faith and frustration
Despite the controversial AFCON victory, the pressure is on Regragui with fans comparing the senior team to the younger, more successful Moroccans.
Under the leadership of young team manager Tarek Sektioui, Morocco won the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, as well as lifting the winners’ trophies at the African Nations Championship 2024 and the FIFA Arab Cup 2025 with various teams.
Likewise, Mohammed Ouhabi was successful with the youth team in winning the FIFA Under-20 World Cup 2025.
In a moment of deja vu, a last-minute coaching change was made ahead of the World Cup. Regragui was out and Ouhabi was focused on playing more football, rather than defending the ball.
According to Alrfae, the selection of the group has been a major sign of change.
“Ouhabi has chosen many young players,” he added: “Partly because he knows them and because they agree with his technical approach.”
Ouhabi relies on mobile players, both of whom have a limited reputation, who constantly change positions and move around the pitch.
A young team, with a good run, quickly made an impact in the World Cup, drawing an impressive 1-1 against Brazil in their opening game.
Experts believe that this is all part of a long-term plan.
“I think Morocco has changed this and is looking at the World Cup that will be held in 2030,” North African football journalist Maher Mezahi told Al Jazeera.
Indeed, the average age of Morocco’s starting XI was over 26. There are no starters in the game over 30 and half of them are 25 or younger.
In their Round of 32 match, Morocco forced the Dutch to abandon their style of play and deploy five defenders to stop Morocco’s water movement.
The change, according to Mezahi, was a “total recognition” that Morocco is the powerful group.
“The result proves that the 2022 World Cup was not a sham and proves that removing Regragui and Ouhabi was the right decision,” added Mezahi.
From legendary lovers to rivals
The final of AFCON 2025 led to a change of consensus between the neutral people in Africa and the Arab World.
Support for the Atlas Lions dropped dramatically.
In Africa, Morocco was seen as having a lot of power in the halls of the African Football Confederation (CAF).
With its shiny new stadiums, the country has become a gateway for African countries that are unable to play because of the lack of facilities that meet CAF’s requirements.
Over the past four years Liberia, Niger and Congo have all played qualifiers at home against Morocco in Morocco instead of at home, allowing the 2030 World Cup hosts to avoid difficult away games.
But the result against Brazil in this World Cup has done wonders to restore some neutrals.
For the first time, the Arab and African team took the game to one of the biggest football clubs in the world and recruited five-time champions.
It has also strengthened Morocco’s position as the best Arab and African team at the World Cup for the second time in four years.
Although nine out of 10 African teams and three out of eight Arab teams have progressed to the knockout stage, only four remain.
In those moments of sadness, Morocco reminded African and Arab fans why they can still win football games and heal broken hearts, as they did four years ago.
Meanwhile, it was a Viral video of Noussair Mazraoui with his arm around Gessime Yassine telling him to pray and thank Allah for his mission against Haiti. It was touching to see the strong connections these players have with their religion and culture, despite being born and raised in other countries.
Mother also returned. Ismail Saibari, who scored Morocco’s winning penalty against the Netherlands, rushed to the stands with his mother in a tearful hug.
Yassine Bono, one of the heroes of 2022, returned to his famous smile and won over fans in a long shot that did not please him.
Much has changed since the last World Cup in Qatar for the Atlas Lions. Despite its ups and downs, many fans are jumping on the bandwagon in Morocco as they push for the final stage of the tournament.
It is a testament to their consistency that Morocco will start as favorites against Canada in the Round of 16 on Saturday. If they achieve their goals, the African giants could have their 2022 rivals and this World Cup’s hottest team France waiting in the quarterfinals.
