Although placed in the group of death of the 2022 World Cup, Morocco has arguments to make to do better than in 2018 (elimination in the first round). Team, calendar and form, here is everything you need to know about the Atlas Lions.
Morocco’s squad for the 2022 World Cup
With Yassine Bounou in goal, Achraf Hakimi in the right lane, Sofyan Amrabat in the midfield, Hakim Ziyech in creation and Youssef En-Nesyri in the finish, Morocco has talent in all lines. And this despite the packages of elements like Adam Masina and Imran Louza, who started as holders, and Amine Harit and Tarik Tissoudali, who would also have had their say.
Guardians: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla FC), Munir El Kajoui (Al Wehda), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad de Casablanca).
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Yahia Attiat Allah, (Wydad de Casablanca), Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich), Ghanem Saiss (Besiktas), Nayef Aguerd (West Ham), Badr Benoun (Qatar FC), Achraf Dari (Stadium Brestois), Jawad El Yamiq (Real Valladolid).
Environments : Bilal El Khannouss (Genk), Abdelhamid Sabiri (Sampdoria), Yahya Jabrane (Wydad de Casablanca), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers SCO), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina), Selim Amallah (Standard de Liège).
Forwards: Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla FC), Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers), Zakaria Aboukhlal (Toulouse), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Osasuna), Soufiane Boufal (Angers SCO), Walid Cheddira (Bari), Abderrazak Hamdallah (Ittihad Jeddah), Anass Zaroury (Burnley).
The calendar of Morocco (Group F)
- Wednesday November 23, 11 a.m., Morocco – Croatia (Day 1)
- Sunday November 27, 2 p.m., Belgium – Morocco (2nd day)
- Thursday December 1, 4 p.m., Canada – Morocco (3rd day)
The shape of Morocco
Qualified after eliminating DR Congo in the play-offs and winning 4 of their last 5 games, Morocco are in good form and are still undefeated since the appointment of Walid Regragui as coach. Before his arrival, the elimination in the quarter-finals of the CAN against Egypt and the rout 3-0 against the United States in a friendly in June had led to asking some questions. Regragui has put in place a playful and pleasant style which has recently enabled him to beat Chile (2-0) then Georgia (3-0) in friendly matches.
Information to know about Morocco
If Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked last summer despite the qualification for the World Cup, it was mainly to make room for Hakim Ziyech, with whom he has conflicting relations and who no longer wanted to play in the selection under his orders. . In view of the first performances of Ziyech with Regragui, this bet does not seem foolish but it is the World Cup which will offer a definitive answer.
Morocco’s chances at the 2022 World Cup
Morocco is clearly one of the best African teams of the moment and it absolutely has the level to pass the first round. The problem is that the Atlas Lions have inherited the group of death, with Belgium, Croatia and Canada and it will therefore be necessary to accomplish at least one feat to get out of it.
