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Morocco World
5 days ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco U17s Set for Canada and Japan Tests in Spain
Morocco's under-17 side will take on Canada and Japan in two friendly matches next week as part of preparations for the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar later this year. The Atlas Cubs face Canada on Tuesday, June 3 at 4 p.m. (Moroccan time), before meeting Japan three days later on Friday, June 6 at 12:30 p.m. Both fixtures will be held in Alicante, Spain. The friendlies are part of the national team's build-up to the World Cup, which runs from 3 to 27 November. Morocco were drawn in Group B alongside Japan, New Caledonia and Portugal. Speaking at a conference in Marrakech on Wednesday, head coach Nabil Baha said Morocco's co-hosting of the 2030 World Cup was an opportunity to unite the country and inspire a winning mentality. 'Hosting the tournament alongside Spain and Portugal is a chance to celebrate our culture and push for more success,' Baha said. He also pointed to recent progress at the youth level, including the U-17s' AFCON performance, the U-20s' World Cup qualification, and the U-23s' place at the Paris Olympics. 'Morocco now enters every competition to win,' Baha added. 'Our aim is clear – to fly the Moroccan flag high on every world stage.' Tags: Moroccou17 afconU17 world cup
CAF
5 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
'No small teams anymore' – Morocco boss wary of tricky U-17 World Cup group
Published: Thursday, 29 May 2025 Morocco U-17 coach Nabil Baha has described his side's FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 group as 'balanced' but warned that there will be no easy matches when the tournament kicks off in November. The draw, held in Doha on 25 May, placed the North African champions in Group B alongside Japan, Portugal, and New Caledonia. The Atlas Cubs, who lifted the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, now turn their focus to the global stage where expectations have grown. 'We landed in a balanced group. Portugal is a very big football nation, and Japan plays very well,' said Baha. 'New Caledonia, we don't know much about, but nowadays, as they say, there are no small teams in the world.' The 2025 edition of the U-17 World Cup is the biggest in the competition's history, with 48 teams drawn into 12 groups of four. Morocco will kick off their campaign against Asian giants Japan before facing Oceania representatives New Caledonia, and closing their group play against European heavyweights Portugal. For Baha, the ambition is clear — go further than Morocco's quarter-final finish in the last edition held in Indonesia. 'Our goal will be to do better than we did in Indonesia in 2023,' he stated. 'We know it will be very tough, but we have the ability to go very far in this competition, given that we have very good players and won the U-17 Africa Cup.' The Moroccan coach praised his squad's potential and insisted that their continental success should serve as a foundation, not a finish line. 'We showed on our continent that we have a great generation, and now we'll have to work hard and prepare as best we can for this World Cup in order to aim to go as far as possible,' he added. With a blend of tactical discipline, individual talent, and continental pedigree, Morocco's U-17s enter Qatar 2025 with belief. As African champions, the Atlas Cubs will carry the hopes of the region — and their coach is determined to make it count.
Morocco World
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco Drawn With Portugal and Japan in U17 World Cup
Morocco have been placed in Group B of the FIFA U17 World Cup 2025, alongside Portugal, Japan, and New Caledonia, following the draw held in Doha on Sunday. The tournament, set to take place in Qatar from 3 to 27 November, will be the first U17 World Cup to feature 48 teams, with matches spread across 12 groups. The draw comes shortly after Morocco were crowned U17 Africa Cup of Nations champions for the first time in their history. The Atlas Cubs will face a stern test in Group B, with European heavyweights Portugal and Asian contenders Japan among their opponents. Morocco enter the tournament full of confidence after their penalty shootout victory over Mali in the final of the U17 AFCON earlier this month. The match ended 0-0 after 90 minutes, with goalkeeper Chouaib Belaarouch saving two spot-kicks to seal a 4-2 win in the shootout. It marked Morocco's first continental title at U17 level. U17 World Cup 2025 group highlights: Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, UAE Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland Group G: Germany, Colombia, DPR Korea, El Salvador Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia Group I: USA, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czech Republic Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Republic of Ireland Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia Tags: Moroccou17 afconU17 world cup
CAF
20-05-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Morocco U20 coach Ouahbi baffled by final loss, turns focus to World Cup
Morocco U-20 coach Mohamed Ouahbi says he is struggling to come to terms with his side's 1-0 defeat to South Africa in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2025, insisting the Atlas Cubs were the dominant side and deserved more. The North Africans fell to a second-half strike from Gomolemo Kekana at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, bringing an end to their unbeaten run and dashing hopes of clinching a rare continental treble across age categories. 'I still don't understand how we didn't win this final,' Ouahbi said in the aftermath of the match. 'We had the upper hand in every aspect – possession, chances, territory, corner kicks – everything. But somehow the trophy slipped through our fingers.' Morocco were bidding to add the U-20 crown to the U-17 title secured in Algeria last month and the U-23 championship won last year. Their 2025 campaign had been near-flawless: they remained unbeaten through the group stages, saw off Sierra Leone after extra time in the quarter-finals, and defeated hosts Egypt in the semi-finals. But despite enjoying long spells of control and creating multiple scoring opportunities against South Africa, they were undone by a moment of brilliance from Kekana in the 70th minute, whose long-range effort flew into the top corner past Moroccan keeper Ismail Lahmami. Ouahbi, however, refused to criticise any of his players for the defeat. 'The boys gave everything. Football can be cruel. You dominate, you dictate, you press, and one moment changes everything. But that's the nature of this sport,' he said. In total, Morocco had 57% possession, completed over 400 passes, and registered more attempts on goal, but were repeatedly denied by a resolute South African backline and their outstanding goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe, who was named Man of the Match for his display. 'I want to salute the players for their courage and commitment,' Ouahbi added. 'They are heartbroken now, but this experience will make them stronger. Our focus must now turn to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. We will regroup, learn from this, and represent Morocco with pride.' The Atlas Cubs will take plenty of positives from the tournament. Their ability to control games, their attacking fluency, and the emergence of young stars like Hossam El Sadek, Othmane Maamma, and Hossam Essadak provide optimism ahead of the global stage. Sunday's defeat marked the second time Morocco had contested the U-20 AFCON final, having won the title in 1997 when they hosted the tournament. A second crown appeared within reach after a dominant run to the final, but history did not repeat itself. South Africa, who had never beaten a North African opponent in the competition's history, made history of their own by clinching their first U-20 continental title – becoming the 12th nation to lift the trophy since its inception. Morocco will now reset and begin preparations for the World Cup, which kicks off in September. They will be joined in Chile by fellow African representatives South Africa, Nigeria, and hosts Egypt.
Morocco World
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco Manager Reacts to AFCON Final Defeat
Morocco U20 head coach Mohamed Ouahbi says his side must take pride in their performance despite a 1-0 defeat to South Africa in the final of the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo. The Atlas Cubs were aiming for their second continental title at this level, but their dream fell short after Gomolemo Kekana scored the only goal of the match in the 70th minute at Cairo International Stadium after a defensive howler. Morocco enjoyed spells of dominance and created a number of chances, particularly in the second half, but were ultimately unable to find the back of the net. What did Ouahbi say after the match? Mohamed Ouahbi says his side must take pride in their performance despite the defeat Speaking after the AFCON final, Ouahbi described the loss as 'a scar' but stressed the importance of focusing on the positives. 'We're not returning to Morocco with the title, but we are returning with a strong group and promising young players,' he said. 'I'm a positive person. I look ahead, not behind.' He praised the players' commitment and urged fans to support the squad despite the disappointment. 'The Moroccan people should be proud of these players. They represented the country well, showed character and played with heart. It's normal to feel regret, and the players were emotional, but they gave everything.' Ouahbi refused to blame individuals for the result, instead pointing to a need for continued development and preparation ahead of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile next September. 'We conceded from a mistake, which can happen in football. The players made a big effort. Now, we must recover and move forward.' 'Our ambition is to do better at the World Cup. We will work hard, remain united, and aim to represent Morocco in the best possible way.' Morocco, alongside South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria, have qualified for the U20 World Cup, which will be held from September 27 to October 19 in Chile. The Atlas Cubs' only previous U20 AFCON title came in 1997. Tags: afconEgyptMorocconigeriaSouth Africa
