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Rabat – Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has urged his players to believe they can win the 2026 FIFA World Cup after securing their place in the round of 32.
The Atlas Lions defeated Haiti 4-2 in their final Group C match, completing the group stage unbeaten with seven points.
Morocco finished second behind Brazil on goal difference and will face the winner of Group F in the first knockout round.
Speaking after the victory, Ouahbi said Morocco now have the players, staff and support needed to compete against any opponent.
“Regardless of who we face, we have a strong squad, an excellent staff and great supporters,” Ouahbi said. “We have everything we need to believe in ourselves.”
The coach explained that Moroccan football has entered a new period in which the players trust their quality and opponents approach the Atlas Lions with greater respect.
Ouahbi calls for greater ambition
Morocco reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African and Arab country to reach the last four of the tournament.
Ouahbi believes that achievement changed how Morocco’s players view themselves and how other national teams view the Atlas Lions.
“Morocco have entered a new stage,” he said. “The players now believe in their ability, and opponents respect Morocco.”
He added that the team should not limit its ambitions after reaching the knockout stage.
“For that reason, our objective must be to win the World Cup,” Ouahbi said.
However, the coach stressed that confidence should not become arrogance.
He said Morocco must respect every opponent and prepare carefully for each match if they want to continue their campaign.
“Winning the World Cup requires us to respect every team we face,” he added. “I trust the work we are doing.”
Morocco produced several strong periods against Haiti but also showed defensive weaknesses, conceding twice during the first half.
Ouahbi admitted that the team still has areas to improve before the round of 32.
“We need to correct some things,” he said. “After every game, we study and analyze everything that happened so we can improve.”
Morocco return to historic monterrey
Morocco will play their round-of-32 match in Monterrey, Mexico, a city closely linked to one of the most important moments in the country’s World Cup history.
The Atlas Lions played their opening match of the 1986 World Cup against Poland in Monterrey.
Morocco later finished top of a group that also included England and Portugal, becoming the first African nation to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup.
Ouahbi said he still remembers watching that tournament as a child.
“I remember the 1986 World Cup,” he said. “Morocco played their first match against Poland. I was 10 years old at the time, and the national team had a wonderful tournament.”
He described the upcoming return to Monterrey as a special moment for Moroccan football.
“We are going back to where everything started,” Ouahbi said.
Morocco made their World Cup debut in Mexico in 1970 but were eliminated in the group stage.
Sixteen years later, also in Mexico, the Atlas Lions made history by reaching the round of 16 before losing narrowly to West Germany.
The current team will now return to the same country hoping to build another memorable World Cup run.
Focus remains on Morocco’s performance
Ouahbi said he is not concerned about the name of Morocco’s next opponent or the location of the match.
His main priority is to study the opposition while improving his own team.
“The opponent and the venue do not matter to me,” he said. “What matters is that we remain focused, analyze the other team well and correct everything we can within our squad.”
Morocco began the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Brazil before defeating Scotland 1-0 and Haiti 4-2.
The Atlas Lions scored six goals and conceded three during the group stage.
They will enter the knockout rounds unbeaten and with growing expectations after another strong start to a World Cup campaign.
