2026 World Cup: "A torment", the Scottish press panics at the prospect of facing Morocco

The memories of Saint-Étienne still haunt the minds in Glasgow. For Scottish analysts, finding Morocco in Group C revives the pain of the 3-0 defeat suffered in France 28 years ago. Pat Kevin, former winger of the Tartan Army, admits on the BBC that he forces himself to smile. He describes this memory as a "torment" and talks about indelible "scars" left by this defeat, much more striking for him than any other setback.

Brazil represents the gala match, but the real danger wears the colors of the Kingdom. James McFadden believes that the draw is not at all clement, designating the Qatar semi-finalists as the major obstacle of the group. Scott Brown, former captain, shares this concern. He places Morocco, the 11th best nation in the world, on an equal footing with the Seleção in terms of talent. For him, beating Haiti is an obligation, but Scotland’s fate will be played out against Moroccan power.

The British press has no illusions about the current balance of power. The Scotsman recalls that if the 1998 team was solid, the version led by Walid Regragui is now among the best in the world. The newspaper points to a "phenomenal" dynamic: eight wins in eight qualifying matches, 22 goals scored for only two conceded.

The Atlas Lions’ squad is frightening in its density. The media cite Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz as permanent threats, supported by Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi and Youssef En-Nesyri. The Scottish daily even mentions Hamza Igamane, the former Rangers player who plays at Lille, to illustrate an omnipresent danger. The conclusion of the observers is clear: this match will be anything but a formality.