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Rabat – Hicham Dguig, head coach of the Moroccan national futsal team, has said that the atmosphere during the recent Arab Futsal Cup was “difficult” and that he was under pressure to win the title.
Speaking to Le360 on Wednesday, the coach spoke about the experience at the tournament held in Jeddah, which the Moroccan team won at the end.
“We did not expect to deliver a good performance. A second or third place was not allowed; we were expected to win the title. Officials and the public were demanding of us. That is what put us under pressure,” admitted the national coach.
“We managed the stress in every game. In the end, we won the title and met expectations. King Mohammed VI congratulated us, our officials were happy, and the public showed us their esteem. It’s a real pleasure,” he further explained.
Dguig also spoke of the lessons the Moroccan team learned throughout the tournament, explaining how the Atlas Lions faced different futsal schools with different styles, and managed by some of the best coaches in the world.
As far as the next futsal World Cup is concerned, Hicham Dguig believes that Morocco’s quarter-final finish at the last edition in 2021 means that they will be in contention for a better place.
However, to achieve this, he believes that a major effort needs to be made to better prepare the players.
When asked about the video that brought him together with head coach of the senior Men’s football team Walid Regragui, Dguig said that he wanted to applaud the efforts of the Atlas Lions’ manager, whose performance at the 2022 World Cup will remain “unforgettable” for Dguig.
The coach also spoke of the congratulations that Morocco’s King Mohammed VI offered to the team upon their triumph in Jeddah.
“This is the 4th or 5th message from the King since 2016. It shows our Sovereign’s interest in sports, and that can only encourage us to keep moving forward,” he said.
Read also: Morocco Maintains Position as 8th Best Futsal Team Worldwide
