Ouahbi eyes bigger dreams as Morocco build on World Cup legacy by blending experience with a new generation

Four years ago, Morocco captured the imagination of the football world by becoming the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final. In New York on Saturday night, the Atlas Lions showed that their historic achievement in Qatar may not represent the peak of their journey, but rather the foundation for something even greater.

Their impressive 1-1 draw against five-time world champions Brazil was not celebrated as an upset. Instead, it felt like the performance of a team that now expects to compete with football's traditional powers.

While Brazil arrived with global stars and a rich World Cup pedigree, Morocco matched them across large parts of the contest, combining tactical discipline, technical quality and fearless ambition in a display that reinforced their growing status on the world stage.

For head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, the result was another sign that his team is capable of pushing deep into the tournament.

“We stuck to our principles. We had to play our game and play it well, and we were satisfied with that,” Ouahbi said in his post-match press conference.

“It would have been nice to win, but I’m not disappointed with the result."

The Morocco coach believes the current generation should not be measured solely against the achievements of 2022.

“If you offered me another semi-final like we managed in 2022, I’d tell you that I want to go further. It was a good game. It would have been nice to get more than a point out of it, but we’ll take this, and we’ll push on with our next match.”

That confidence was reflected on the pitch.

Morocco unsettled Brazil from the opening whistle, pressing aggressively, winning key midfield battles and launching rapid counter-attacks whenever opportunities appeared.

 Their organisation frustrated the South Americans and forced them into mistakes rarely seen from a side coached by Carlo Ancelotti.

The Brazilian coach admitted his team struggled to cope with Morocco's intensity.

“I felt that we started poorly, which is a concern for me,” Ancelotti said.

“We lost a lot of duels and couldn’t keep the ball, but we got better in the second half. It was a tricky tie, and Morocco are a strong opponent.”

While established stars such as Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui and Azzedine Ounahi once again demonstrated their quality, the match also highlighted the emergence of a new generation ready to carry Moroccan football forward.

One of the standout performers was 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, whose maturity and composure belied his age.

Alongside him, Samir El Mourabet made a significant impact after coming off the bench, injecting fresh energy into Morocco's midfield during the final stages.

The young midfielder described the occasion as a dream come true.

“It was a very emotional match. I’ve always dreamed of playing at the World Cup, but once we were on the pitch, you need to remain focused and ready to give everything you can,” El Mourabet told beIN SPORTS after the match.

“We know that we could have scored more, and that’s something that we need to learn from in future games.”

Ouahbi reserved special praise for several of his emerging stars, underlining the depth that is developing within Moroccan football.

“Ayyoub [Bouaddi] played very well, so did Neil El Aynaoui. I thought that Samir [El Mourabet] gave a great account of himself and [Azzedine] Ounahi put in a great display in the first half, plus there’s more to come from him. We also have [Sofyan] Amrabat, who’s ready to show us what he can do when he’s called on.

“There are also other members of the U-20 World Cup-winning side who didn’t quite make the squad this time. The future of Moroccan football is in very good hands.”

That future appears increasingly bright.

The generation that stunned the world in Qatar laid the groundwork for Morocco's rise, but the draw against Brazil suggested the project has evolved.

The experienced leaders remain central to the team, yet a new wave of talent is emerging to ensure the Atlas Lions remain competitive for years to come.

With group matches against Scotland and Haiti still to come, Morocco's immediate focus remains qualification for the knockout stages.

However, after going toe-to-toe with Brazil and leaving the pitch believing they could have won, the Atlas Lions have every reason to believe that another deep World Cup run is within reach.

And if Ouahbi is to be believed, merely matching the achievements of 2022 will no longer be enough.