Before the FIFA World Cup 2026 began, Morocco’s head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, was asked about his ambitions for the national team. His answer was bold, direct and almost provocative:
“We can win the World Cup.”
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When I first heard those words, I thought he could have chosen them more carefully.
It is widely understood in football that every coach wants his players to believe, but World Cups have a habit of punishing bold predictions. I wondered whether those words would eventually come back to haunt Ouahbi with a difficult group lineup and an unforgiving knockout path ahead.
Three group stage fixtures and two knockout matches later, I find myself not only repeating the same bold statement, but making a bolder one: Morocco can win the World Cup and could dominate world football for years to come.
Post-Qatar 2022 dreaming
Football occasionally rewards dreamers with shock tournament outcomes: Croatia’s run all the way to the Russia 2018 World Cup final was one such example, as was my home nation of Morocco’s unexpected progression all the way to the semifinals of Qatar 2022.
The latter result not only stoked a nation’s dream of one day becoming the first African and Arab world football champions but also substantially raised expectations inside the country that Morocco could go all the way in 2026.
With the World Cup in the United States about to enter the quarterfinal stage, my conviction of a Morocco triumph is simple: this team has already demonstrated at this tournament that it possesses many of the qualities that define world champions, setting the stage for an upset winner at this year’s edition.
Domination against the Dutch
The victory over the favoured Netherlands side in the round of 32 – despite them being ranked one place lower at eighth in the official FIFA World rankings – was the Atlas Lion’s biggest game of the tournament.
The Dutch had to abandon their “total football” philosophy and adopted a low-block defensive mentality, which showed the level of respect Morocco has now garnered against world football powerhouses.
Morocco went behind, but equalised late to finish 1-1 in regulation. The North African side could have won in extra time, but they kept their composure and prevailed 3-2 in a strange penalty shootout, featuring multiple missed spot kicks from both sides.
The biggest statistical takeaway from that fixture was Morocco’s near-total control of the match for large periods, dominating the encounter with 70 percent of the possession against one of the most feared offensive teams in global football.
Gatecrashing the cohost’s party
But if the knockout contest against the Netherlands was Morocco’s biggest scalp at the World Cup, it was the following match against cohost Canada in the last 16 that was the most important.
These are the kind of games that show the character of the team and the resilience that separates good teams from the great ones.
There was a ruthless efficiency to their 3-0 victory, a superb understanding of the game from the coach, a bench that could make a difference and a patience that outfoxed a very fast, resilient, and physical team.
These traits are shared by World Cup winners, and Morocco has been developing them at an alarming pace during the 2026 tournament.
It’s this rapid acceleration of match-to-match improvement that proves why this team is undoubtedly stronger than the one that captivated the world in Qatar. Back then, we defended our way into making history – now, we are playing our way into history.
Don’t get defensive
Of course you can’t win games without a solid defence. That is why the defensive discipline remains part of their core identity, but Morocco now controls matches with greater confidence.
Their midfield is more composed in possession. Transitions are cleaner, and the attack carries more variety and threats. This team is no longer dependent on counterattacks. It can dictate the tempo and press high when necessary or patiently wait for opportunities to appear.
Just as importantly, the squad has greater depth. Four years ago, the starting XI carried almost the entire burden. Today, it’s different. The play that led to the pivotal third goal against Canada in the knockouts was initiated by a substitute, Chemsdine Talbi, then facilitated through Real Madrid star midfielder Brahim Diaz, and finished by another bench player, Soufiane Rahimi.
Greatest test awaits against the favourite
With three matches still to win to get their hands on the trophy, I truly believe, like the coach Ouahbi, that Morocco can prevail, but this belief now faces its greatest examination against the old colonial enemy, and tournament favourite, France in Thursday’s quarterfinal in Boston.
For many, this is a rematch of the 2022 semifinal. I see it differently.
Revenge makes a good headline – but it is not what matters. What matters is whether Morocco can demonstrate that the talent gap separating the two nations has genuinely narrowed. Defeating France would not erase the pain of Qatar – but it would validate Morocco’s place among football’s elite in a profound way.
Should the Atlas Lions overcome France, then Spain or Belgium await in the semifinals. Neither opponent should intimidate this team.
Morocco eliminated both in Qatar; Spain in the round of 16 and Belgium in the group stage.
Those victories changed something, the fundamental thinking of the team. Morocco no longer approaches Europe’s traditional powers hoping to surprise them – they expect to compete with them.
The World Cup final, should Morocco reach it, could bring Argentina, England, Norway or Switzerland from the opposite side of the draw.
Argentina possesses unmatched experience in navigating pressure but their recent stumbles against Cape Verde and their controversial, come-from-behind victory against Egypt in the round of 16 has exposed sizeable gaps in the armour of the defending champions.
England, however, may offer Morocco the most favourable tactical matchup, with Morocco’s defensive structure and quick transitions capable of exposing England’s occasional lack of fluidity and creativity.
None of the above guarantees Morocco the trophy. World Cups are unpredictable at times. Who could have predicted Brazil would fall to Norway, or Germany to Paraguay, but there comes a point when belief is not just driven by emotion but also by evidence.
Bright future
For years, Morocco dreamt of competing with football’s great powers. In Qatar, the Atlas Lions proved they belonged, but now they have an opportunity to achieve something even greater: a multi-year period of domination.
In Qatar, we shocked the football world – but now we want to beat the world. Thus, the difference between now and then isn’t just tactical – it’s psychological.
When Ouahbi said Morocco could win the World Cup, I thought he was asking us to believe. Now I’ve come to the realisation he was simply describing the elite team standing in front of him.
One that can become WORLD CHAMPIONS.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.
