CAF Awards: Mohamed Ouahbi ignored for the title of best coach despite the U20 World Cup

This choice has provoked strong criticism, with many observers believing that Ouahbi’s feat surpassed a mere qualification. The Moroccan coach achieved an unprecedented performance by leading his team to the top of the world, making Morocco the first nation to lift this trophy and only the second in Africa after Ghana in 2009. His journey to the title was marked by tactical victories against global giants: Spain and Brazil in the group stage, the United States in the quarter-finals, France on penalties in the semi-finals, and finally Argentina, six-time champions, in the final.

A missed opportunity to honor a historic victory

Paradoxically, while the Moroccan U20 national team was named the African Team of the Year, its guide did not receive the same honors. The beIN Sport analyst, Aziz Bennij, contested this decision, recalling that "the greatest prize in football is to win the World Cup". For him, Ouahbi deserved the title for having proven that Africa could not only compete, but also win at the highest level.

Although the CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, praised the performance of the Moroccan national team, seeing it as proof that the Kingdom’s investments in training are bearing fruit, the governing body is accused of having missed the opportunity to fully honor this achievement. Ouahbi’s victory, built on hard work, has nevertheless placed Morocco at the center of world football and inspired a new generation.