CAN 2025: Morocco plays its credibility

Fouzi Lekjaa has set the course without ambiguity: only victory will be tolerated. The president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation knows that the country, deprived of a continental title since 1976, is playing big. The semi-final at the Qatar World Cup and Achraf Hakimi’s African Player of the Year title have created a sense of power that now needs to be concretized at home. The Maghreb teams, historically performing well on their home soil, are the favorites, but the competition from Senegal and the Ivorian defending champions promises a fierce battle.

However, this festive event hides a complex genesis. The tournament had to be squeezed into a saturated international calendar by FIFA and UEFA, imposing for the first time a competition straddling the end-of-year holidays. Internally, the preparations have not been without their share of difficulties. The massive investments in infrastructure have sparked the anger of a part of the youth, materialized by the "GenZ 212" movement last October, which denounced the gap between these millions spent and the daily difficulties.

Beyond the logistical controversies and last-minute adjustments at the El Barid stadium, the competition retains its unique social dimension. For nations like Sudan or the DRC, the CAN offers a vital respite in the midst of armed conflicts. Morocco, on the other hand, hopes to experience the popular momentum felt by Côte d’Ivoire in 2024, provided it can bear the overwhelming weight of the favorite.