A foreign coach sees Morocco among the favorites for the 2026 World Cup

The 63-year-old Argentine coach has been full of praise for his future opponent. Gustavo Alfaro stated that "Morocco is one of the candidates to win the World Cup due to its evolution and results in recent years". He recalls the historic journey of the Atlas Lions, describing them as the true surprise of the last edition in Qatar after reaching the semi-finals.

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This recognition is based on the quality of a squad combining physical power and high technical mastery, composed of players playing in the biggest leagues. The coach also highlights the Moroccan youth, noting that the youth team has achieved exceptional performances and was "crowned world champion of the under-20s". As proof of this dynamic, he notes that he has read that the FIFA platform dedicated to changing sports nationality has been literally overwhelmed by the Moroccan case.

The friendly match between the two nations will be held on Tuesday at 8pm (Moroccan time) at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens. This duel is part of the final international break before the North American World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 with 48 teams. Paraguay, who will be in Group D with the United States and Australia, will face a Moroccan team in full restructuring. According to Alfaro, the recent change of coach at the head of Morocco, after more than three years, is precisely the key to "obtaining better results".

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This match will be the second test for the Atlas Lions under their new coach, Mohamed Ouahbi. Last Friday in Madrid, the national team snatched a draw (1-1) against Ecuador, thanks to a goal from midfielder Neil El Aynaoui. This decisive gathering should allow the group to perfect its automatisms before flying to North America next summer.