Morocco is poised to be one of the standout teams to watch during the 2026 World Cup, following their historic journey to the semifinals in the 2022 edition held in Qatar. This impressive performance has set high expectations for the Atlas Lions, especially as they recently claimed victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, albeit under unusual circumstances, as Senegal was disqualified shortly after the final match.
Taking the reins of the national team is Mohamed Ouahbi, who was appointed in March after the resignation of Walid Regragui, which came in the wake of disappointment in the AFCON final. Interestingly, Regragui stepped down before knowing that Senegal would be disqualified, effectively making Morocco the champions. Ouahbi has since unveiled his squad for the 2026 World Cup, featuring nine players who were part of the 2022 team, including star defender Achraf Hakimi from Paris Saint-Germain.
A significant aspect of Morocco's squad is the representation of players from the Moroccan diaspora in Europe. Many of these athletes were born outside of Morocco, often tied to their heritage through parents or even grandparents. This includes talents like Ouahbi himself, who was born in Belgium, as well as Hakimi and Brahim Díaz, who were both born in Spain. Notably, three players have recently undergone nationality changes recognized by FIFA within the last nine months: Issa Diop from Fulham, Anass Salah-Eddine from PSV, and Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille.
As reported by gamereactor.de.
