Just over nine months from the beginning of the next World Cup, which will be in North America (US, Mexico and Canada), Africa met its first representative in it.
Like a 5-0 role on Niger, Morocco, working in front of 63,000 fans in Rabat, the country’s capital, sealed its classification for the World Cup.
With six wins in six matches, 19 goals in favor and only 2 against, won two rounds in advance the group that also has Tanzania, Zambia and Republic of Congo. The top of each key in the African qualifiers is worth a place in the 2026 World Cup.
For those who do not remember, Morocco was, in terms of performance throughout the competition and final classification, the big surprise of the Qatar Cup, held at the end of 2022. (The biggest amazement occurred early, when Saudi Arabia defeated Messi’s Argentina, which then recovered and raised the FIFA cup.)
Commanded on the field by Captain Ziyech, then -striker Chelsea, Morocco, packed with a numerous and fanatical crowd, arrived unbeaten to the semifinals, defeating Belgium and eliminating Spain and Portugal before being beaten by France, then world champion.
In the third place dispute, he lost from Croatia, which did not overshadow the tremendous made: the best position of an African country in all 22 cups in the world.
The question: can you make Morocco repeat, or improve, the performance of 2022? The answer: Yes. It just wouldn’t have this possibility in the event of non -classification for the 2026 World Cup.
However, one should analyze the history and situation at the moment. In this way, it is possible to know if an unlucky in a World Cup has been successful in the following and glimpse a scenario for the near future of Morocco.
The only example of a non -favorite to repeat a significant campaign in Cups is recent, that of European Croatia. Runner-up in Russia in 2018 (lost from France), reached the semifinals in Qatar, four years later (lost from Argentina). A second and third consecutive place are more than noteworthy.
In the universe of African teams, however, there was no BIS of a remarkable performance.
Before Morocco reached the semifinal, on two occasions in Africa, they reached the quarterfinals: Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002. In 1994, the Camaronese stopped in the group stage – even for Brazil that would be four -time champion. The Senegalese, for their part, did not even qualify for the 2006 edition.
Morocco currently has a very good set. The team is not the same as the past cup, but the backbone was maintained: goalkeeper Bono (Al Hilal), right-back Hakimi (PSG, captain of the national team), defender Aguerd (Olympique of Marseille), the midfielder Amrabat (Betis) and the centerwoman En-Denesri (Fenerbahce). The coach, Walid Renogui, is also the same.
Ziyech, 32, in a moment of low technique, is removed, but there was a significant reinforcement for the position (wing of the right): Brahim Díaz, 26, Real Madrid, who is Spanish but has Moroccan citizenship and decided to exchange a red shirt, the fury, for the other, the Atlas lions.
In the FIFA ranking, Morocco, in 12th place, is the best of the African continent. It is stuck in Italy (11th) and ahead, for example, from Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, USA, Sweden and Japan.
The Moroccan National Team won at the end of August Chan, the African Nations Championship, in which only athletes participate in the national leagues of each country, expanding the range of Renogui options.
Finally, the country will house, in December and January, the African Cup of Nations, which it won once in 1976.
This competition will be the real thermometer to measure how strong Morocco will be for the 2026 World Cup. Not winning, loses status. Winning, confirms his position of most current African power, capable of facing the world champions.
