Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Morocco’s World Cup journey in Qatar in 2022 set itself as a reference for the Atlas Lions as they are days away from the 2026 edition.
Opta, a sports analytics company, joined reports that recently indulged in the enjoyable journey and history Morocco made during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by becoming the first Arab and African country to reach the semi-final of the tournament.
“It was impossible to ignore Morocco’s journey at the 2022 FIFA World Cup,” Opta wrote on Tuesday, recalling the Atlas Lions’ heroism to achieve a milestone by defeating contenders like Spain and Portugal.
“The Atlas Lions relied heavily on their defensive solidarity to achieve this resounding feat,” the Opta analytics said, recalling Morocco’s performance knocking out Spain on penalties.
“Portugal also proved vulnerable to Morocco’s rapid transitions in the next round; with aerial prowess of star striker Youssef En-Nesyri particularly effective during the 1-0 victory,” it added.
Opta recalled that now, the Atlas Lions are heading to the tournament under a new coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, who took the reins of the senior team following Regragui’s departure.
The sports analytics website is aware of the Atlas Lions roaring mechanism, expecting them to express themselves through a more proactive style of play this summer.
“Beyond his goalscoring feats, Díaz menaced opposition defences with his direct running, with a tournament-high 42 take-ons,” Opta stated.
It also emphasized the importance of Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, who remains a primary playmaker not only for the Atlas Lions but also for PSG, where he triumphantly celebrated the Champions League title victory against Arsenal last week.
“At the 2022 World Cup, he was already eager to push forward more than his teammates, recording the most touches in the opposition box for Morocco,” the report said of the right-back.
Opta also stressed the midfield improvement with the support of Neil El Aynaoui alongside Azzedine Ounai and Sofiane Amrabat.
Morocco is in Group C alongside Brazil, Haiti and Scotland.
Morocco’s opener is on June 13, with Ouahbi confident the country has a pool of emerging and professional talent to be a force to reckon with on the global football stage.
“The Atlas Lions now possess a much broader tactical repertoire than in 2022. Their group games against Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti will offer a perfect opportunity to witness all the nuances of this versatile palette,” the same source said.
Opta’s supercomputer says Morocco has an 88.8% chance of advancing from their group and a 10.3% chance of reaching the final four once again.
