Morocco eyeing Afcon success after a chequered past at biennial tournament

22 Dec 2023

Morocco may be a global football powerhouse. However, they’ve never quite lived up to the billing at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Morocco’s relationship with the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) has always been a love-hate one. On and off the field.

The latest edition of the continental showpiece is on the horizon, with kickoff set for 13 January in Ivory Coast. Once more, eyes will be firmly on Morocco. They have generally underwhelmed, in spite of being a powerhouse on paper.

A chequered past

Morocco have only one Afcon title to their name. Even that came all the way back in 1976 – just four years after the north Africans made their debut in the biennial tournament. At that time, they were the new kids on the block, but they made everyone stand up and take notice.

In the subsequent decade or so following that particular success, the Atlas Lions’ Afcon performances were as unpredictable as the future of South Africa as things stand.

Along the way there were failed qualification bids, disappointing group exits as well as a handful of semifinal placings.

This pattern of unpredictability continued into the 2000s and 2010s for the Moroccans. However, they did manage to reach just their second Afcon final in 2004 before being bested 2-1 by Tunisia in that year’s decider.

In 2014, they were stripped of their title as hosts for the 2015 edition. They were also ousted as participants after they asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone the tournament by several months.

The authorities of the Arab nation feared that hosting the tournament in early 2015, as planned, would exacerbate the Ebola epidemic that was sweeping through west Africa at the time.

Since that edition, they have finished in the quarterfinals (2017), in the round of 16 two years later and again in the last eight during the most recent edition, which took place in Cameroon in 2022.

The pressure of expectation

On the back of a magnificent 2022 Fifa Men’s World Cup in Qatar, the Moroccans once again head into an Afcon tournament as one of the favourites. Can they snap their indifferent run in style and add another overall triumph?

The World Cup escapade, which saw them become the first African country to reach the semifinals of the global spectacle, will increase the gaze of expectation on the Atlas Lions.

Of course, under coach Walid Regragui the team have not rested on their laurels. Some of their wins in 2023 included a first-ever victory over five-time world champions Brazil. They edged the South Americans 2-1 back in March.

People have already pegged Morocco as a country that can make history and become the first world champions from the African continent. However, the Moroccans have their eyes firmly fixed on a second African country crown before that.

“We must set our priorities. First, we must win the Africa Cup of Nations. We know very well that it is a difficult and complicated competition. Then we will have plenty of time to think about the World Cup,” attacking midfielder Sofiane Boufal told Reuters.

“The Nations Cup is different from the World Cup. And the circumstances were not in our favour in the past. So, we must have a stronger mentality,” the 30-year-old added.

Foreshadowing?

In tandem with the memories made in Qatar, the Atlas Lions were granted a further psychological boost. They were named the team of the year at the CAF awards ceremony on 11 December in Marrakech.

In what may be perceived as a sprinkling of foreshadowing by those who are superstitious, Regragui was named coach of the year at the awards, usurping Senegal’s Aliou Cissé, who was victorious in 2022 and was also in the top three in 2023.

Cissé and his Senegalese compatriots are the defending African champions after holding their nerve to beat record Afcon winners Egypt (with seven titles) 4-2 on penalties during the Cameroon-hosted 2021 edition.

In spite of his and the team’s continued success, Regragui is under no illusion as to how much of a sizeable task awaits them in Ivory Coast.

“The next Afcon will be the toughest. There are no weak teams or easy games,” he told the Moroccan Football Association’s official website.

The Atlas Lions are in Group F, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012 African champions Zambia and Tanzania. Expectations are that Morocco will navigate their mini-league with ease.

“It’s not an easy group, but rather balanced. And when you play in competitions like these you have to be ready [for anything],” Regragui stated.

“Everyone wants to win the competition – including us, no doubt. And we have great players who all dream of winning it.”

Inspiration to draw from

As a nod to the work that has been done behind the scenes over the years by Moroccan soccer officials alongside the country’s hybrid regime, the country has enjoyed various levels of success on the field of play.

At the Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2023, Morocco made it into the round of 16 in spite of being overwhelming favourites to finish at the bottom of a group that consisted of Germany, Colombia and South Korea.

At club level Wydad Casablanca have reached the semifinals or better of the men’s Champions League for five consecutive seasons now. This run encompasses three finals, one of which the Moroccan club won when they beat Egypt’s Al Ahly 2-0 in 2022.

In the auxiliary CAF Confederations Cup, Moroccan clubs Raja Casablanca and RS Berkane have reached and won three of the last five finals.

Morocco’s investment into the growth of the beautiful game in the country has also been beneficial for women’s club soccer.

In 2022 Asfar Rabat became one of just two clubs to win the CAF Women’s Champions League after its inception in 2021. They joined inaugural champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies on the exclusive list of winners.

In 2023 another Moroccan club, Sporting Club Casablanca, were in the final of the women’s Champions League. They were vanquished 3-0 by Sundowns following a fairytale debut tournament run.

The country has also excelled at junior level, with the under-23 men’s team being crowned African champions in mid-2023. They edged Egypt 2-1 to win gold.

As the Moroccan men’s senior side aims to double its Afcon trophy tally, these are all the stories they can look towards. They will undoubtedly also look within, in order to tap into the magic of Qatar in 2022. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.

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Africa

A chequered past

The pressure of expectation

Foreshadowing?

Inspiration to draw from