Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi insists the Atlas Lions have moved beyond simply making history, declaring their ultimate ambition is to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of Thursday’s quarter-final against France.
After becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals in 2022, Morocco have once again captured the imagination of the football world by reaching the last eight in North America.
But for Ouahbi, the praise means little if it is not followed by silverware.
“There’s no room for praise yet. We want to win the World Cup,“ Ouahbi told reporters ahead of the blockbuster clash with France.
The Belgian-born coach dismissed suggestions that Morocco have already exceeded expectations, insisting his squad are thinking far bigger than another historic run.
“We’ll judge our tournament when it’s over,” he said, making it clear that simply reaching the quarter-finals is not the destination.
Morocco face a daunting challenge against Didier Deschamps’ France, but Ouahbi believes his players have earned the right to compete with the world’s traditional heavyweights.
“They have exceptional players, but we have our strengths too,” he said, while stressing his side would need to perform at “2,000%” to overcome the former world champions.
Ouahbi also confirmed a major injury setback, revealing star forward Ismael Saibari will miss the quarter-final after suffering a hamstring injury against Canada.
“Everyone’s available, except Saibari. The match comes too early for him,” he said, before adding: “I hope it’s not the end of the tournament for him.”
Despite losing one of Morocco’s standout performers, the coach insisted there would be no tactical surprises against France.
“There won’t be any surprises. We know exactly what we want to do,” Ouahbi explained, adding that patience would be key whether attacking through the wings or the middle.
Thursday’s encounter is a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, but Ouahbi believes comparisons are pointless.
“It’s a different Morocco and a different France,” he said. “What happened then belongs to the past.”
Having already knocked out the Netherlands and Canada, Morocco arrive believing they belong among the elite. And if Ouahbi’s message is anything to go by, the Atlas Lions are not in the United States to relive history—they are chasing something even bigger.
