Morocco Promotes Mohamed Ouahbi After 2025 Under-20 World Cup Title
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 9
Morocco Promotes Mohamed Ouahbi After 2025 Under-20 World Cup Title
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 9
Summary
Mohamed Ouahbi was elevated to Morocco's senior job months after guiding the country to the 2025 Under-20 World Cup, replacing Walid Regragui after an Africa Cup setback.
2025's youth title capped a broader federation push built on sustained state-backed investment in academies, training centres, stadium upgrades and thousands of amateur pitches.
19 of Morocco's 26 current World Cup squad members were born abroad, reflecting an aggressive diaspora recruitment strategy that has targeted talent across Europe, including players also eligible for France.
Morocco, now sixth in Fifa's rankings and co-hosting the 2030 World Cup, is trying to turn its 2022 semi-final breakthrough into a longer-term pipeline of domestically developed senior internationals.
With a squad built on foreign-born talent, can Morocco's domestic system produce the next generation of stars?
Is Morocco’s huge football investment a national triumph or a gamble that overlooks urgent public needs?
Morocco’s 2026 World Cup Surge: Youth Revolution, Investment, and the Quest for a Historic Semifinal Repeat
Overview
Morocco has become a formidable force in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, building on their historic 2022 campaign with a dynamic and creative style of play. Guided by head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who rose from managing the U20 and U23 teams, the Atlas Lions have adopted a fluid, possession-oriented approach that has driven their current success. Ouahbi’s strategic vision aims to make history by leading an African team to a World Cup trophy for the first time. This blend of youth development and tactical innovation has positioned Morocco as a standout contender on the global stage.