With two days to go before the 2026 World Cup quarter-final against France, Mohamed Ouahbi has reaffirmed his vision for the Atlas Lions: to continue the progress of Moroccan football without becoming trapped by past achievements.
In an interview with Onze Mondial, the manager emphasised that he does not feel any pressure stemming from Morocco’s historic run at the 2022 World Cup.
“I don’t feel pressure, but I do feel a sense of responsibility. I’m looking to the future and at ways to improve. Today, we have a strong Football Association and a clear organisational structure,” explained the 49-year-old manager.
For Ouahbi, Morocco’s successes are the result of groundwork carried out by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, particularly in terms of training and developing young talent.
The manager also believes that players trained in Morocco are now every bit as good as those from European academies.
“We are naturally gifted in technical and tactical terms. We still need to improve in certain areas, particularly our finishing in front of goal,” he emphasises.
Finally, Mohamed Ouahbi calls for the Atlas Lions’ style of play to continue evolving.
“Football is evolving very quickly. We mustn’t get stuck in a single tactical philosophy. The key is to put individual qualities at the service of the team,” he concludes.
These statements come as Morocco continues its preparations for its quarter-final against France on Thursday in Boston, aiming to continue its historic run at the 2026 World Cup.
