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Casablanca – Azzedine Ounahi and Soufiane Rahimi played decisive roles in Morocco’s commanding 3-0 victory over Canada, reigniting discussions around the depth of local talent within the Atlas Lions setup.
Their performances also challenged recurring narratives surrounding Morocco’s rise on the international stage.
Morocco’s growing success in international football has brought admiration from fans around the world. Still, it has also renewed criticism over the number of Atlas Lions players born and trained in Europe.
Some international commentators have claimed that Morocco’s national team does not fully reflect the level of football inside the country because several players developed in academies in Spain, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Against Canada, however, two of Morocco’s biggest stars on the night were products of the country’s own football system.
Ounahi scored twice in the Round of 16 clash, while Rahimi added Morocco’s third goal to seal another historic World Cup night for the national team.
Ounahi’s journey began in Casablanca before he joined Raja Casablanca’s youth ranks. At 15, he moved to the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Sale, one of Morocco’s most ambitious long-term football development projects.
The academy later helped launch his European pathway, with Ounahi eventually moving to France before establishing himself as one of Morocco’s standout midfielders on the international stage.
Rahimi, meanwhile, represents one of the clearest examples of a player fully shaped by Morocco’s domestic football structure.
The forward rose through Raja Casablanca’s academy while his father worked at the club’s longtime kit man. Before leaving for Al Ain in the UAE, Rahimi won multiple titles with Raja, including two CAF Confederation Cups and the Botola Pro league title.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou also reflects Morocco’s local development model. Although born in Canada, he returned to Morocco as a child and developed through Wydad Casablanca’s academy before earning a move to Europe.
Together, the trio symbolizes the balance behind Morocco’s modern football project blending diaspora talent with players developed inside Morocco’s own academies and clubs.
