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Join on Telegram Marrakech – Morocco’s 1986 World Cup veteran Abdelkrim Merry, widely known as Krimau, has favored the Atlas Lions to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, tipping them to reach at least the semifinals of the 48-team tournament that kicks off June 11 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Krimau projected that Morocco’s fourth-place finish in Qatar 2022 and their recent continental form position them among the tournament’s genuine contenders.
“Morocco’s performance at the last World Cup in Qatar, along with the national team’s achievements in recent years, has made it one of the strongest teams internationally,” he told Anadolu.
Morocco are drawn in Group C and open their campaign against five-time champions Brazil on June 13 in New Jersey. They then face Scotland on June 19 in Boston and round out the group stage against Haiti on June 24 in Atlanta.
Krimau acknowledged the difficulty of the Brazil opener but insisted the Atlas Lions possess the individual quality and squad depth to compete. He estimated Morocco would need a minimum of five points to advance from the group.
“Despite Brazil’s strength, Morocco still has a strong chance as it has star players and a strong squad,” the former striker maintained. He credited the roster’s experienced core and tactical discipline as key factors heading into the competition.
The tournament marks Morocco’s first major outing under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who replaced Walid Regragui in March. Ouahbi, 49, earned his promotion after guiding Morocco’s Under-20 side to the 2025 Youth World Cup crown in Chile. His final squad selection retained only eight members of the 2022 World Cup contingent.
Ouahbi’s squad combines world-class quality, depth, and experience
Krimau endorsed the appointment and pointed to the squad’s blend of pedigree and emerging talent. He noted that roughly 80% of the current group contested the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, which Morocco hosted earlier this year.
“The squad includes Azzedine Ounahi of Girona, Noussair Mazraoui of Manchester United, and Yassine Bounou of Al Hilal,” Krimau identified among the experienced core. He also singled out Watford’s Othmane Maamma as one of approximately five young newcomers integrated into the squad’s long-term framework.
The selection features PSG right-back and reigning CAF African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi as captain, alongside Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz – the Golden Boot winner at AFCON 2025 with five goals. Teenage Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who switched international allegiance from France, also earned a call-up.
Morocco climbed to No. 7 in the FIFA rankings on June 3 – a historic peak – accumulating 1,756.94 points while retaining their standing as Africa’s top-ranked nation, ahead of Senegal at No. 14, Nigeria at No. 25, Algeria at No. 28, and Egypt at No. 29.
On the wider tournament landscape, Krimau assessed the prospects of the eight Arab teams competing: Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Algeria, and Jordan. “Arab football has developed and Arab teams could make a surprise at the tournament,” he predicted.
He cautioned, however, that Jordan – coached by Moroccan tactician Jamal Sellami – face a steep learning curve on their World Cup debut. Krimau added that Egypt carry valuable experience from previous World Cup appearances, while African squads packed with Europe-based professionals could push deep into the knockout rounds.
Morocco’s growing stature has drawn attention well beyond the football world. New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani recently backed Morocco to go one step beyond their 2022 semifinal finish, predicting in The Guardian that the Atlas Lions will defeat France in the final and lift the trophy.
The Atlas Lions’ 2026 campaign opens against Brazil on June 13 at 11 p.m. GMT+1.
