Baha Targets World Cup After Morocco Lift Historic U17 AFCON Trophy
Morocco U17 head coach Nabil Baha hailed a 'historic' triumph after his side edged Mali on penalties to win the U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Baha thanked the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), his staff, national team boss Walid Regragui, and his family for their unwavering support.
'I'm proud of the boys, proud of this title,' said Baha. 'The Federation backed us all the way. My family—my wife and kids—stood by me through everything.'
Baha, who is in his first major coaching role, called the title a dream start. His son scored Morocco's opening penalty in the shootout.
'As a coach and a father, this is massive,' he said. 'I saw a video of one of the players' dads praying during the shootout. I thought he was praying for his son, but it turned out he was praying for mine – Ziyad. That's the kind of unity we've built in this squad.'
Baha never doubted his players despite the fatigue and pressure of a final. He praised goalkeeper Chouaib Belaârouche for his composure and crucial saves throughout the tournament.
'We always believed. I knew we had the edge on penalties with Chouaib in goal,' said Baha.
The Morocco coach expects more from this team. He plans a short celebration before shifting focus to the U17 World Cup.
'We'll enjoy this for a week, then we prepare for the World Cup. This squad has ambition. We want to go far,' he said.
Baha also praised the overall level of the competition.
'We faced tough sides—Ivory Coast, South Africa. African football keeps growing,' he said. 'Why not see three African teams in a World Cup semi-final one day?'
He ended with a message to the fans: 'This win belongs to you. Every family, every city—you all played a part. Thank you. This is your trophy too.'
The Atlas Cubs qualified for the U17 FIFA World Cup after progressing to the quarter-finals of the AFCON, alongside Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia.
The tournament will feature 48 teams for the first time and will be held in Qatar from November 3-27. Tags: Moroccou17 afconU17 MoroccoU17 world cup
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