Rabat – Morocco’s Atlas Lions face an enormous challenge when the African Cup of Nations kicks off later this month, with the expectations of Moroccan fans around the world at an all-time high.
With this continental tournament coming just one year after the Moroccan team’s historic run to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, fans of the Atlas Lions will be expecting nothing less than winning the trophy.
The Guardian highlighted Moroccans’ “unprecedented” anticipation on Sunday, stressing that Morocco’s Atlas Lions are “heavy favorites for the tournament.”
“In Qatar, they became the first African country to make the competition’s semi-finals, topping a group containing Belgium, Croatia and Canada before eliminating Spain and Portugal to reach the last four,” the Guardian recalled.
The news outlet then recalled Morocco’s history in AFCON competitions, where the Atlas Lions made 19 appearances but only clinched the trophy once in 1976.
This represents a “disappointing haul” despite the country’s “best footballing infrastructure on the continent,” the Guardian said – reiterating King Mohammed VI’s vision to boost football development.
The Guardian also highlighted the good governance within the Moroccan Football Federation, “unlike many of their African counterparts.”
In addition to the royal vision and the federation’s impressive governance, the outlet said, the Moroccan national team also boasts world-class talents, many of whose clubs play at the “highest level in Europe.”
With its historic World Cup run, its generation of talented world-class footballers playing at their prime, as well as the football federation and the government’s exemplary vision for advancing sport and football, the Guardian insisted, Morocco is not only one of this year’s AFCON favorites, but the “overwhelming favorite.”
But the article recalled the challenges Morocco’s national team has faced in recent friendlies and qualifiers, emphasizing that some of the team’s struggles in its latest games show that, while it boasts impressive talent and quality, it will need the discipline and determination it showed in Qatar to win African football’s most prestigious trophy.
Morocco’s Atlas Lions traveled to Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday to prepare for the continental tournament, where they will play in Group F alongside Tanzania, Congo, and Zambia.
The Moroccan national team was initially scheduled to play a friendly against The Gambia this weekend, but the match was canceled due to the travel.
Morocco’s Football Federation has announced that the Atlas Lions are still expected to play a friendly before the tournament kicks off later this week, but the time and opponent have not yet been determined.
