Rabat – Former Morocco national team coach Walid Regragui has highlighted the role of Moroccan Darija in bringing together the diverse group of players who made up the Atlas Lions during an interview with VESTIAIRES Coaching.
Morocco’s squad brought together dual nationals born in France, Spain, and the Netherlands, alongside experienced players, local talents, and internationally recognized stars, creating a linguistically and culturally diverse dressing room.
With such diversity within the squad, communication became an important part of building cohesion among the players. Regragui explained that he held individual conversations with players in different languages, while Darija served as a common language during team talks.
“Individual conversations in Spanish with Achraf Hakimi, in English with Hakim Ziyech, or in French with Romain Saïss… but a common language, Darija, for the team talks,” Regragui said.
Darija provided a shared means of communication within the squad, helping players connect and build understanding despite coming from different backgrounds.
Regragui’s approach also reflected his emphasis on maintaining close communication with the players and drawing on their shared Moroccan identity and culture to strengthen unity within the dressing room.
