How Morocco Became a Force to Reckon With in African Football

By Wopicho Tony

Morocco A Football Powerhouse


Morocco is a country that has a rich and diverse history, culture, and geography. It is also a country that has a passion and talent for football. In recent years, Morocco has emerged as one of the most successful and influential nations in African football, both at the club and national level. In this article, we will explore how Morocco achieved this feat, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead for them.


 A Brief History of Moroccan Football


Morocco's football history dates back to the early 20th century, when the country was under French and Spanish colonial rule. The first official football club in Morocco was Union Sportive Marocaine (USM), founded in 1919 by a group of French and Moroccan students in Casablanca. USM was the first club to win the Moroccan Championship, which was established in 1922. The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) was founded in 1955, and Morocco became a member of FIFA in 1956, the same year that the country gained its independence.


Morocco's first major international achievement came in 1970, when they became the first African team to qualify for the World Cup. They repeated this feat in 1986, when they became the first African team to advance to the second round of the World Cup, after topping their group ahead of England, Poland, and Portugal. Morocco also won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1976, and reached the final in 2004.


However, Morocco's football fortunes declined in the late 20th and early 21st century, as they failed to qualify for the World Cup from 1998 to 2014, and did not make it past the group stage of the AFCON from 2006 to 2013. Morocco also faced political and economic challenges, such as the Western Sahara conflict, the Arab Spring, and the global financial crisis, which affected their football development and infrastructure.


The Renaissance of Moroccan Football


Morocco's football revival began in 2014, when they appointed Hervé Renard as their national team coach. Renard, a Frenchman who had previously won the AFCON with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, brought a new vision and philosophy to the Moroccan team. He focused on building a strong defensive unit, based on the talents of players such as Medhi Benatia, Romain Saïss, and Achraf Hakimi, who play in Europe's top leagues. He also promoted a fast and fluid attacking style, relying on the creativity and flair of players such as Hakim Ziyech, Sofiane Boufal, and Amine Harit, who also play in Europe's top leagues.


Renard's approach paid off, as Morocco qualified for the 2018 World Cup, their first appearance in 20 years, after topping their group ahead of Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Mali. Morocco also reached the quarterfinals of the 2017 AFCON, their best performance since 2004. However, Morocco's World Cup campaign was disappointing, as they lost to Iran and Portugal by narrow margins, and drew with Spain, despite playing well in all three games. Renard resigned after the World Cup, and was replaced by Vahid Halilhodžić, a Bosnian who had previously coached Algeria, Ivory Coast, and Japan.


Halilhodžić continued Renard's legacy, and led Morocco to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, their second consecutive appearance, after topping their group ahead of Cameroon, Malawi, and Comoros. Morocco also reached the semifinal of the 2022 AFCON, their best performance since 2004, after beating Ghana and Egypt in the knockout stages. Morocco lost to Nigeria in the semifinal, but beat Senegal in the third-place playoff, to secure their first medal in the tournament since 1980.


Morocco's success at the national level was matched by their success at the club level, as Moroccan clubs dominated the African continental competitions in the 2010s and 2020s. Wydad Casablanca won the CAF Champions League in 2017 and 2019, and reached the final in 2011 and 2021. Raja Casablanca won the CAF Confederation Cup in 2018 and 2021, and reached the final in 2013 and 2020. They also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2013, where they lost to Bayern Munich. Other Moroccan clubs, such as FUS Rabat, Difaâ El Jadida, and RS Berkane, also performed well in the African competitions, reaching the semifinals or finals of the CAF Champions League or CAF Confederation Cup.


The Challenges and Opportunities for Moroccan Football


Morocco's football achievements are impressive, but they also come with challenges and opportunities. One of the main challenges is to maintain and improve their level of performance, both at the national and club level, and to compete with other African and global powers, such as Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, South Africa, Ghana, Cameroon, France, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and others. Morocco also faces the challenge of developing their domestic league, which suffers from low attendance, poor infrastructure, and financial difficulties. Morocco also needs to invest more in their youth development, and to provide more opportunities and support for their young and talented players, especially those who play in the local league or in lower divisions abroad.


One of the main opportunities for Moroccan football is to capitalize on their popularity and influence, both in Africa and in the world, and to use their football as a tool for social and economic development, as well as for cultural and diplomatic exchange. Morocco has a large and diverse diaspora, especially in Europe, and many of their players have dual citizenship or ancestry. Morocco can use their football to strengthen their ties with their diaspora, and to promote their culture and identity, as well as their values and interests, in the international arena. Morocco can also use their football to foster cooperation and integration with other African countries, and to support the development and growth of African football as a whole.


Morocco has a bright and promising future in football, and they have the potential to become a continental and global powerhouse. They have shown that they have the passion, talent, and vision to achieve great things, and they have inspired and impressed many fans and observers around the world. Morocco is a force to reckon with in African football, and they are ready to take on the world.


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