Morocco went 20 years without going to a World Cup. After France, in 1998, they only managed to qualify again for Russia, in 2018, and achieved the same result: did not make it past the group stage. Even so, the base created and built to reach this unprecedented classification in two decades served to seal a new classification four years later, now for Qatar, and allows us to dream of repeating the best result of all time.

In 1986, in a World Cup in Mexico where the Moroccan team managed to qualify in a group where Portugal was eliminated, the generation led by the Brazilian José Faria reached the round of 16 and only fell with the FRG that would end up going to the final — where he lost to the Argentina of Maradona and company. In 2022, included in a complex group but where uncertainty reigns, Morocco dreams of a new adventure until the round of 16.

The Moroccan team has recently changed coaches, with Former international Walid Regragui took over the team last August following the departure of Vahid Halilhodžić, who had been in charge since 2019 and was fired after disputes with the Federation leadership. Regragui, who played for Toulouse and Racing Santander as a player, has the first major challenge of a still short career as a coach in the World Cup in Qatar, which he had when he won the African Champions League, with Wydad AC, his highest point. tall.

This article is exclusive to our subscribers: subscribe now and benefit from unlimited reading and other benefits. If you are already a subscriber, log in here. If you think this message is an error, please contact our customer service.