Walid Regragui, the coach of the Moroccan national team and the architect of the "Atlas Lions" epic in Qatar, expressed great optimism and high self-confidence following the draw for the 2026 World Cup finals. The draw resulted in the Moroccan national team being placed in the fiery Group C, which includes Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti, in a scenario that brings back memories of historic football.
In his first comment on the draw results, Regragui asked in an ambitious tone: “Why can’t we make history again?” He pointed out that the ceiling of Moroccan ambitions no longer has limits after the unprecedented achievement in the 2022 World Cup, when Morocco became the first Arab and African team to reach the semi-finals in the history of the World Cup, surpassing established football schools such as Belgium, Spain and Portugal.
Memories of the 1998 World Cup resurface
This group holds special symbolic significance for Moroccan fans, as it evokes memories of the 1998 World Cup in France. In that tournament, Morocco faced both Brazil and Scotland in the group stage. Despite a heroic performance and a resounding 3-0 victory over Scotland, the Atlas Lions exited the competition bitterly after Brazil's shock defeat to Norway in the final minutes.
Regarding this historical paradox, Regragui said, “All of Morocco is thinking the same thing. They believe we can beat Brazil or Scotland, but we have to perform better than in 1998.” Regragui is emphasizing that qualification must be secured by the players themselves, and they shouldn't rely on favors from other matches, drawing lessons from the past.
Footballing maturity and accumulated experience
In comparing the current generation with the team that participated in the 2022 finals, Regragui emphasized that "the situation is completely different now." He explained that the Moroccan national team is entering the tournament having participated for the third consecutive time in the finals (2018, 2022, 2026), which has given the players greater international experience and tactical maturity, allowing them to compete with the best without any inferiority complex.
The national coach added, “We have more experience, but we respect all our opponents.” These statements confirm that the Moroccan national team is no longer content with mere participation; it seeks to solidify its place among the world's elite, relying on a squad of stars playing professionally in the strongest European leagues, and a broad fan base eager to see a repeat of that success on North American pitches.
