The TotalEnergies U17 AFCON level is high, says Morocco’s Said Chiba

Morocco’s head coach Said Chiba says the level of competition at the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is high, noting that teams have shown immense talent and tactical discipline since the start.

Chiba has guided the Atlas Cubs to their first ever continental final in this age category, and the former Moroccan international spoke to CAFOnline about their journey and ambitions heading to Friday night’s final in Algiers.

How did this tournament go for you, and how was the technical level of the competition in general?

The technical level of course is very good, and is very high. This shows that there are countries that have invested a lot at the youth level. The African competition in this category is considered one of the most difficult at the global level, and the semi-final matches showed that the African teams in this category are somewhat superior.

Also, African teams at this age group are the strongest in the world, as Nigeria has been able to win the World Cup five times, and African teams are constantly present at the global stage.

What is the secret that made you, as a coach, lead Morocco to the final of the Arab Cup and the final of the U17 AFCON?

We are doing strategic projects at the Moroccan Federation and this is work that extends for years. We started with creating facilities and infrastructure where we can explore talents from across the country and nurture them.

In addition to this, we have played many tournaments outside the country which have helped the players to develop well to the extent of reaching the final of the AFCON.

A final word for the Moroccan fans

We thank the Moroccan fans for their support and their messages which have really pushed the players. There has been great support from as high up as the King, to the president of the Moroccan Federation and the rest of the public and we hope they can continue supporting us till the final.