Morocco have achieved a historic milestone for African football by becoming the first team from the continent to reach the quarter-finals at successive World Cups. Even if the Atlas Lions lose to France on Thursday, their performance has already set a proud example for Africa, as other sides grapple with off-field problems.
Historic Achievement for Africa
Over the past six decades, Morocco have repeatedly set performance milestones for Africa at the World Cup. They were the first African country to qualify directly for the 1970 finals in Mexico, returned in 1986 to become the first African team to reach the last 16, and made an impressive semi-final run in Qatar four years ago. Now, with their quarter-final berth in 2026, they have made tournament history.
“The general feeling, amongst Moroccans, is pride and contentment in this team,” says Amine El Amri, a football journalist based in Casablanca. “The main goal before the competition was to reach the quarter-finals, given the context, given the change of manager, with the departure of Walid Regragui and the coming of Mohamed Ouahbi. I think the victory over the Netherlands cemented the reputation of Ouahbi as a trustworthy coach. Many doubts about him were cleared up after that match.”
El Amri added: “Beating Canada in the way we did, despite having a very difficult first half, has also added to that confidence. You have to be in Casablanca, in Marrakech, in every city and little town, to just measure how happy people are [with the team]. Our Saturday night was crazy – no one slept.”
Ouahbi's Composure Under Pressure
Morocco's manager Mohamed Ouahbi, appointed only in early March, oversaw five friendlies in the buildup and had worked for four years with the under-20s and under-23s. His composure during tough moments against the Netherlands and Canada reflects the serenity required for high-level competition, says former Cameroon goalkeeper Joseph-Antoine Bell, a veteran of the 1982, 1990, and 1994 World Cups.
“Nobody can play against Morocco at the World Cup and say that they are sure to win,” Bell says. “They can be behind in a game but they will never lose their temper, they will never be out of themselves, they focus and keep playing with confidence that their game will lead them to recovery. This is what happens when a team have solved all their problems … They are able to totally focus on the games they are playing, without thinking about financial or administrative problems. This is a well-prepared team. Sadly, most of our teams in Africa are not operating at this level.”
Contrast with Other African Teams
Ghana's World Cup ended in the last 32 after a defeat by Colombia, with captain Jordan Ayew highlighting the difficulty of adjusting to coach Carlos Queiroz's tactics after only two warm-up matches. “You can’t do that in one month or two months,” Ayew said. “Football doesn’t work like that. Defensively, we were better. But we fell a bit short offensively, so we have to find the right balance now.”
Queiroz, in his farewell message, alluded to the need for the Ghana Football Association to be more professional. “The future of the Black Stars will not be built only on the pitch,” he said. “Black Stars’ success must start off the field, by creating the best possible environment to prepare, protect and develop Ghana’s extraordinary football talent.”
Senegal also suffered a collapse, losing 3-2 to Belgium in the last 32 after leading 2-0 in the 86th minute. Sunday Oliseh, former Nigeria captain and head coach, noted the pain of such a defeat. “The only consolation was that we were naive and new to the trade,” he said. “But for it to happen now, with the experience our players in Africa have and knowing how teams close up shop, when they are 1-0 or 2-0 up, it’s worse. Many are blaming the coach but the experienced players should have also taken control.”
Road Ahead for African Football
For Bell, African teams will finally live up to their potential when federations prioritize good governance. “I think we are getting closer and closer to winning a World Cup,” he says. “But if we are serious, we need to have three or four countries in the quarter-finals.” For now, despite Egypt’s heroic performance against Argentina, the Atlas Lions bear that burden alone.
