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Rabat – Morocco coach Walid Regragui spoke openly after his team reached the Africa Cup of Nations final, admitting that the past weeks were not easy as he faced heavy criticism.
“It wasn’t just normal criticism,” he said. “It felt like an unfair campaign against me. But that’s football. I accepted it.”
Regragui explained that his players stood by him during this period. “The group protected me a lot. The players love their coach. I told them the best way to respond is on the pitch, and they did exactly that.”
He also reflected on the pressure that comes with coaching in Morocco. “Here, any defeat or even a draw is seen as a disaster. That’s the reality. We know it, and we live with it.”
Despite the challenges, Regragui stressed that the team stayed focused. “We kept our concentration. In the end, we are happy because this is for the fans. Around 90% of the people support this team and want to see it win. That makes me very proud.”
Morocco now prepares to face Senegal in the AFCON 2026 final on Sunday at 8 p.m. It is their first final in 22 years, since 2004, and they will try to win the trophy for the first time in 50 years
As he eyes this historic, long elusive opportunity to win Morocco’s first continental trophy in half a century, Regragui concluded by reminding everyone that while Morocco is living a golden era in football, this success did not come overnight. “We are enjoying the fruits of this golden age, but we must not forget where we started,” he said.
