Morocco’s World Cup Success Prompts Tactical Shift, Says Coach Regragui

"The World Cup was a turning point. If you come from a model based on strength and good defensive organization, you need time to impose evolution. Possession play requires time and quality players; players capable of breaking through closed defenses, which we lacked," said Walid Regragui in an interview with the Spanish newspaper Diario AS. The historic journey of the Atlas Lions at the 2022 World Cup made the Moroccan coach realize that it had become necessary to improve the level of the team, as well as that of the bench.

The performance at the Qatar 2022 World Cup was a turning point for improving the quality of players who will be called up and the style of play, which requires time and evolution, he stated, emphasizing that the idea of gathering the greatest number of talents started immediately after the World Cup. "We need more quality. It was necessary to improve the level of the team as well as that of the bench. After the World Cup, I immediately started working on this aspect. That’s why I travel a lot. I talk to players who have a promising future to see who could join us, and we understood during the World Cup that we need more talent to win," he added. He therefore focused on recruiting young dual-national talents.

This is how talents like Brahim Diaz joined the Moroccan team. Regragui also recounted how he managed to convince him to defend the colors of the Moroccan flag. "I went to Milan to see him for the first time. It was a good meeting, no doors were closed, and I understood that the decision was very difficult. He appreciated that we understood his need for time to think about the project. He also appreciated the affection we showed him. He came to visit our facilities for a few days, to discover Rabat, Marrakech and Tangier, to feel the country and be able to choose what is best for his career and for his heart."

According to him, he traveled to Madrid three times. "What’s beautiful is that he chose Morocco at a time when he could have played for Spain. Some said he chose Morocco because he couldn’t play for Spain, but the truth is that he did it at a time when he was performing well with Real Madrid, scoring goals, making a difference, and he was among the preliminary lists of the Spanish coach De la Fuente," explained the Atlas Lions’ coach.

Regragui also touched on the case of Lamine Yamal. The Spanish FC Barcelona star preferred Spain over Morocco. "We tried with him and presented him with a great project, and I thank him for his respect. How could I tell Lamine that he would play with the under-23s when he was 16 years old and already playing for FC Barcelona?"