Morocco Aims to Replicate World Cup Success at African Cup of Nations

Having reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, a first for an Arab and African country, Morocco has generated great expectations. The current challenge is to repeat this exceptional performance at the CAN and overcome a history of disappointing results.

Morocco, which has won the continental championship only once in 1976 (Ethiopia), faces a recent past of disappointments, often eliminated prematurely despite its status as a favorite. Walid Regragui, the team’s coach, acknowledges that even if the last World Cup has brought valuable experience, the CAN remains a complex challenge. Morocco has frequently been considered a title contender, but has not been able to consistently remain among the top four, proving that experience alone does not guarantee success.

The opponents do not lack ambition to thwart Moroccan hopes. Solid teams such as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and defending champions Senegal, led by Sadio Mané, are all ready to take on Morocco. Senegal, the reigning champion, is coming back strong after a deserved victory in the last CAN edition. On the other hand, the Ivorians, the host country, are also among the favorites, although the pressure of local expectations could weigh heavily.

Egypt, the last host country to win the CAN in 2006, and Côte d’Ivoire, who open the tournament against Guinea-Bissau, are also serious contenders. Nigeria, with an impressive team on paper, has recently had mixed results, illustrated by a draw against the modest Lesotho and a loss against Guinea-Bissau. Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, and Algeria, the 2019 champions, as well as Tunisia, who are participating for the 16th consecutive time, represent the challenge of North Africa. Other former winners such as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Zambia could also create a surprise. The tournament will be played in six different stadiums, with particular attention paid to the quality of the pitches, a critical aspect in previous editions.