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Didier Deschamps has placed Morocco national football team among the leading contenders for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, underlining the growing international respect earned by the Atlas Lions in recent years.
Speaking during a press conference, the France national team coach acknowledged that Morocco now belongs in the same conversation as several of world football’s traditional powerhouses.
“There’s no problem in being part of the favourite teams,” Deschamps said of France’s current standing in global football.
“But are we more of a favourite than Spain, Portugal, Germany, England, Argentina, Brazil, Morocco? You’ll have your own opinion. But I know there are expectations.”
Morocco’s reputation has continued to grow since its historic run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where the Atlas Lions became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semifinals of the competition.
With the World Cup set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Morocco is now widely viewed not simply as an outsider capable of surprising opponents, but as one of the nations genuinely capable of competing deep into the tournament.
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