Morocco had a stunning performance at the World Cup, with coach Walid Regragui saying after the Atlas Lions reached the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: "Why can't we dream of winning the Hercules Cup? Let's pass this idea on to future generations and believe in ourselves. His remarks were ridiculed by some, while most others thought it was a hopeless dream.
Those views quickly changed when the Atlas Lions reached the Final Eight, especially when they reached the Final Four. By that time, observers of all stripes were taking seriously what Walid Regraj had said, especially given Morocco's well-organized victories over Belgium, Spain, and Portugal with perfect tactics.
What is certain is that even if Morocco's performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is indeed unsatisfactory, they are laying a good foundation for becoming a strong contender in 2026. It's hard to believe that the average age of this team, which has performed so well in this World Cup, is only 26 years and 2 months. Most of their main players are under the age of 27, and there are many younger substitutes on the bench, waiting to put on the jerseys retired by the team elders.
It is all thanks to former coach Vahid Halilhodzic for building such a talented young team. After all, he made many of these players make their debut for the national team, including Azzedine Ounahi, whose impressive performance against Spain caught everyone's attention.
Even in 2026, how old will the older star in the Moroccan squad be? Even in another 4 years, the outlook for the Atlas Lions is promising. Yassine Bounou will turn 35, and Nayef Aguerd, Selim Amallah, Sofyan Amrabat, Youssef En-Nesyri and Noussair Mazraoui will all be around 30, arguably the peak age for footballers to combine ability and experience.
Morocco showed their title of "Atlas Lion" at the World Cup in Qatar, and their heroic performance earned them the admiration of the football world, and they definitely deserved it.
A handshake with 2018 runner-up Croatia, as well as a hard-fought victory over Belgium, both helped Morocco earn a place in the knockout rounds. Reaching the knockout rounds, they first beat 2010 champions Spain and comfortably defeated Cristiano Ronaldo's star-studded Portugal in the round of eight, demonstrating the fearlessness of the Atlas Lions led by Walid Regragi.
In recent years, Moroccan stars have developed at an alarming rate among teams in Europe's top leagues. Achraf Hakimi joins Paris Saint-Germain, Hakim Ziyech joins Chelsea, Mazraoui moves to Bayern Munich and Ennesri plays for Sevilla. Now, it seems that more people will follow, and Europe's top clubs are also interested in the likes of Amrabat, Onahi and Agrd.
Playing for major European clubs will allow Moroccan players to develop technically, physically and most importantly mentally, removing their fear that they might face the world's greatest star at the World Cup. It is this last reason, along with stubborn confidence, that makes the Atlas Lions unique at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, making them completely different from other Arab teams such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Everyone knows about the contribution of ASPIRE Academy to the development of Qatar's sport, but they may not know that the Mohammed VI Football Academy, founded in 2009, helps identify and develop talent across Morocco. With all the latest training facilities, the academy has seen generations of players so far, and also provides a springboard for talented young players to move to European clubs. Morocco has a squad full of players from the academy, most notably Agard, Ennesri and Onahi.
The Academy will continue to scout more talented players, help them develop, and have the opportunity to move to Europe, which will certainly help Morocco's football development and even give them the opportunity to challenge for the Hercules Cup in 2026.