Morocco Unveils U20 Squad for 42nd COTIF Tournament in Spain

Morocco’s Under-20 national team will head to Spain later this month as the Young Atlas Lions prepare to compete in one of international youth football’s most established tournaments.

Rabat – Morocco’s under-20 national team is set to take part in the 42nd edition of the COTIF International Tournament, taking place in L’Alcudia, Spain, from July 20 to August 1.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) confirmed the squad selected by head coach Ludovic Batelli, who has called up 20 players for the prestigious youth competition.

Held annually since 1984 in the Spanish city of L’Alcudia, the COTIF Tournament is regarded as one of the most prominent youth football competitions in Europe.

Since 2016, the men’s competition has been exclusively reserved for Under- 20 national teams, providing young talents with valuable international experience against high-level opposition.

Batelli’s squad features players from several Moroccan clubs, including Raja Casablanca, Wydad Casablanca, RS Berkane, FUS Rabat, AS FAR, Union Touarga, and the Mohammed VI Football Academy, alongside France-based midfielder Djibril El Mahjoub of Amiens.

The selected squad is:

Saad Antra (Raja Casablanca)
Chouaib Bellarouch (Mohammed VI Academy)
Hamza Bouhaddi (FUS Rabat)
Ali Bahraoui (Mohammed VI Academy)
Youssef Jamal (Union Touarga)
Djibril El Mahjoub (Amiens)
Bilel Soukrat (RS Berkane)
Khalid Kasbi (Union Touarga)
Abderrahmane Arkid (FUS Rabat)
Ilyes Hiddaoui (Union Touarga)
Hicham Mellali (Mohammed VI Academy)
Mohamed Monssef (Wydad Casablanca)
Yassine Zouhair (AS FAR)
Anas Benouma (Raja Casablanca)
Yahia Iguiz (Raja Casablanca)
Abdelali Eddaoudi (FUS Rabat)
Abdelghafour Gourari (RS Berkane)
Hamza Raji (RS Berkane)
Karim Essaadi (Raja Casablanca)
Abdeslam Anane (Wydad Casablanca)

The tournament will offer Batteli an opportunity to assess Morocco’s emerging generation of talent against international opponents as preparations continue for future continental and global youth competitions.

Morocco will be aiming to make a strong impression in Spain while continuing the development of a squad expected to form the backbone of the country’s next generation of senior internationals.