Getty ImagesEvery World Cup has a break-out team and in 2022, Morocco were the side that grabbed the attention of the world.
Drawn in a group with Canada, Croatia and hotly-tipped Belgium, few would have expected the team to top the group, never mind stride on to reach the last four and only narrowly lose their semi-final against France.
The challenge now is for the nation to repeat the trick, and help continue the side’s progress as Morocco prepares to co-host the tournament in 2030.
Impressive runs of results in the last few years have helped belief grow and Morocco will be looking to show themselves as an established force when they travel to America in June.
Going into their sixth World Cup, the tournament will hold no fear for the national team and as the last side to play Scotland at a finals, and with a convincing win in 1998 to look back fondly on, they will see the reunion in June as an opportunity to take another step forward.
How did they qualify?
While Scotland fans were put through the wringer in a dramatic, exhausting, and exhilarating conclusion to qualification, Morocco’s support had it a little easier.
The Atlas Lions cruised through their group to take a direct qualifying spot finishing with perfect record. Eight games brought eight victories, 22 goals scored and just two conceded. Morocco finished nine points ahead of nearest rivals Niger after only eight games.
Who is the boss?
Walid Regragui had a fairly unremarkable career as a player, plying his trade mainly in France and Spain and picking up 44 international caps with Morocco, his highlight being in the squad that finished runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations.
As a coach, he has more success, winning trophies with FUS and Al-Duhail before a CAF Champions League triumph with Wydad AC. That brought the international job, though few would have predicted that he would quickly take the team to the last four of the World Cup and have tournament wins over Belgium, Canada, Spain and Portugal to his name.
Unsurprisingly, the federation have stuck with him since and though there was disappointment in a last-16 defeat in the last AFCON, Regragui has the team back on track and boasts a 71% win rate as Morocco boss.
Who are the star men?
SNS GroupRegragui can call upon a host of players who ply their trade in Europe’s top teams in particular. Captain Achraf Hakimi is with Paris St Germain, while Noussair Mezraoui is at Manchester United.
Former United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is now at Betis, and also in La Liga is Real Mardid’s Brahim Diaz.
With 25 goals in 85 games, Youssef En-Nesryi is a stand-out in attack, while there’s an up-and-comer who will eb familiar to Scotland fans in the shape of former Rangers striker Hamza Igamane.
Scotland will face Morocco in their second group game on June 18 in Boston or Philadelphia.
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