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Rabat – Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (Bono) has urged the Atlas Lions to accept their World Cup quarterfinal defeat to France with humility, insisting the team must now focus on the future after an unforgettable campaign.
Speaking after Morocco’s 2-0 defeat to France, which ended the Atlas Lions’ historic run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Bounou acknowledged that the French side deserved the victory while calling on his teammates to use the disappointment as motivation.
“We faced a team that was simply better than us. That’s the reality,” Bounou said. “We couldn’t make the most of our strengths because they were superior to us in every aspect. We have to accept it and congratulate our opponent.”
Morocco entered the quarterfinal carrying the hopes of an entire continent after becoming Africa’s last remaining representative in the tournament. Although the Atlas Lions produced another disciplined display, France’s quality ultimately proved decisive.
The North Africans frustrated France for large periods of the game, with Bounou once again delivering a standout performance, including a penalty save from Kylian Mbappé in the first half. However, the French eventually broke through in the second half, with Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé sealing a 2-0 victory.
Despite the defeat, Morocco’s World Cup journey remains celebrated.
The Atlas Lions reached the quarterfinals after topping their group before defeating Canada and the Netherlands in the knockout rounds, extending the momentum they built with their historic semifinal run at the 2022 World Cup.
Bounou stressed that Morocco’s elimination should not overshadow the progress made by the national team over the past several years.
Reflecting on the match, the goalkeeper admitted France’s attacking quality forced Morocco deeper than they would have liked.
“We couldn’t break through their defense because we weren’t at our best, physically or technically,” he said. “The opponent was simply stronger than us. We have to recognize that.”
Rather than dwell on the disappointment, Bounou believes the focus must now shift toward the future.
“Now we have to get back to work,” he added.
His message echoes the growing sentiment within the Moroccan camp that, while the defeat hurts, it should serve as another step in the long-term development of a team that has consistently challenged football’s biggest nations on the world stage.
Morocco leaves the tournament as the only Arab and African nation to reach the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reinforcing its position among the world’s emerging football powers.
For Bounou, however, the achievement is only part of the story.
