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Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has included Morocco among the national teams that have the squad quality and depth to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing the remarkable progress of the Atlas Lions in recent years.
In an interview with Argentine newspaper Olé, the World-Cup winning coach listed Morocco as a potential winner when discussing the favorites for the tournament.
“In the World Cup, Argentina will be there. I don’t know if they will win, but those ten or twelve teams will fight to reach the final,” Scaloni said.
He named Spain, France, Portugal, England, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Croatia, Argentina and Morocco among the nations he believes can challenge for the title.
Atlas lions’ current reputation
Scaloni’s comments reflect the growing reputation of the Moroccan national team on the global stage. Morocco’s strong performances in recent years, including their historic run in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, have turned the Atlas Lions into one of international football’s most respected teams.
The Argentine coach stressed that Morocco’s place among the contenders is linked to the team’s development and ability to compete against football elite opponents.
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Talent is not enough
However, Scaloni also warned that talent alone does not guarantee World Cup success.
“The World Cup is not only about playing well or being a strong team,” he explained. “Many factors have to go your way during the tournament.”
The 48 years old coach used Argentina’s victorious 2022 campaign as an example of how difficult the competition can be. Argentina lost their opening match against Saudi Arabia, survived a dramatic penalty shootout against the Netherlands, and were pushed to the limit by France in the final despite leading 2-0.
“We had many obstacles and were close to elimination more than once,” Scaloni recalled. “That shows how difficult it is to win a World Cup.”
He concluded by emphasizing the importance of small details, and sometimes luck, in deciding the fate of teams, including the strongest favorites.
Scaloni’s praise comes just days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Morocco will aim to confirm its status as one of football’s emerging global forces.
