Morocco’s World Cup Success: Inside the Training Complex Fueling Atlas Lions’ Historic Run

Led by BBC journalist John Bennett, this team of reporters visited the Mohammed VI football complex, which contributed to the performance of the Atlas Lions who became the "first African and Arab team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup." For the British media, the complex is like "a small town where the men’s and women’s teams settle to prepare for their confrontations." According to Omar Khyari, communication manager within the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), "the complex is the result of the strategy initiated by King Mohammed VI in 2008," reports Hespress.

It is also the idea behind the Mohammed VI Academy "dedicated to young male and female talents, in order to train and qualify them to shine for Moroccan and European clubs," Khyari said. The king’s efforts for the development of Moroccan football have earned him the CAF Excellence Award, which was awarded to him in Kigali.

Among the players who have left an indelible mark in Qatar is goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. He knew that Morocco would get past the group stage. "However, we had not imagined going to the semi-finals," he confided, stating that the coach, Walid Regragui, had a great impact on the players. "He knows the mentalities very well, both of the players born in Morocco and those born in Europe, which facilitated the understanding of his philosophy and the application of his vision on the field," continued the Sevilla FC goalkeeper.

He adds that "the talent of the players combined with the genius of the coach and his staff, allowed to overcome the complex that is usually found in African teams facing European and South American teams." All the players interviewed stressed that Morocco could not have had such a run with another coach. For Ilyas Chair, "Walid Regragui’s arrival has done a lot of good for the national team by promoting cohesion among the players and promoting a family spirit within the group."

The British media considers that contrary to the ideas conveyed during the World Cup, Morocco’s journey was not the result of chance, but of hard work carried out both on the human, technical and financial levels. According to John Bennett, "in men’s and women’s football, Morocco is building its long-term success."