Rabat- Morocco’s U17s came so close to making history at the FIFA U17 World Cup 2025 in Qatar but were stopped 1–2 by four-time world champions Brazil.
The Atlas Cubs were building momentum after a shaky start of tournament. Early defeats to Japan (0–2) and Portugal (0–6) were followed by a record-breaking 16–0 win over New Caledonia, showing just how far they had come.
In the Round of 32, Morocco beat the United States on penalties after a 1–1 draw, and then edged 3–2 past Mali in the Round of 16. That showed their character when it mattered most.
Brazil u17’s last minute winner against Morocco.
And they’re into the semi-finals! pic.twitter.com/Yye0Ektqjg
— AllThingsBrazil™ (@SelecaoTalk) November 21, 2025
Quarter-final thriller against Brazil
From the strat of this quarter-final, Brazil controlled the game and took the lead in the 16th minute with Dell opening the sore. But Morocco gradually grew into the game. Just before halftime Zied Baha scored from and earned penalty to level it up and give the Atlas Cubs hope.
In the second half Morocco defended well and stayed solid, standing strong and keeping Brazil at bay for most of the game. It looked like this match was headed to penalty shootouts. But heartbreak came in the 95th minute when Dell scored his second goal, the winner this time, sending the four-time world champions through to the semis and ending Morocco’s run just short of their first-ever U17 semi-final.
Despite the loss Morocco’s U17s made a big impact. They showed guts and resilience, so Morocco youth football is moving in the right direction and has a lot to be proud of.
