On the eve of the clash against Mali, Walid Regragui has made his intentions clear: the objective is to secure qualification for the next round as early as this Friday. In a press conference in Rabat, the national coach gave an update on the state of his troops, dispelling rumors about injuries and renewing his trust in his young players.
The victory against the Comoros is no coincidence. An analysis of the statistics of the national team’s last twenty matches reveals a real trademark: unwavering patience and devastating efficiency after the break. A decryption of the Regragui method that has once again borne fruit on Sunday.
A successful start for the host country. Under heavy rain in Rabat, Morocco defeated the Comoros (2-0) in their first match of the 2025 AFCON. A victory that was slow to materialize but logical, which satisfies the coach Walid Regragui .
The countdown is over. 24 hours before the kick-off of the Morocco-Comoros opening match, Walid Regragui and his captain Achraf Hakimi have heated things up in Rabat. Between the management of the Hakimi case, a scathing message addressed to "worldly" spectators, and the ambition of a home triumph, the Atlas Lions are ready for battle.
The image of a national team fractured by language belongs to the past. Long plagued by the formation of rival clans between "Dutch," "French," and "Locals," the locker room of the Atlas Lions has undergone a transformation. Under the leadership of Walid Regragui , the diversity of origins is no longer a hindrance but a strength, cemented by a hybrid communication that gives translators cold sweats.
It’s crunch time for the Atlas Lions. With infrastructure renovated at a cost of hundreds of millions of euros and a people fired up since the Qatar epic, Morocco can no longer afford to make mistakes. Walid Regragui , hailed as a hero yesterday, must now assume the status of overwhelming favorite where only the final victory will be accepted by the Kingdom.
"I put that aside and move forward." Souffian El Karouani has chosen resilience over bitterness to digest his non-selection for the Africa Cup of Nations. The defender refuses the status of victim and assures that his mental recovery will be rapid, preferring to let his performances on the field speak for him in the future.
Walid Regragui has defined his strategy for the home tournament: a group of 26 players, two reserves and an assumed risk on the health status of certain elements. The coach, who has broken with the tradition of the announcement press conference, is betting on the stability of an undefeated group for nearly two years to win the title that has eluded Morocco for half a century.
Walid Regragui has made a decisive cut by excluding Imran Louza and Othmane Maamma from the final list for the African Cup of Nations. This decision, cruel for the players, turns into a providential windfall for Watford, which retains its two major assets for a decisive winter marathon.
Morocco will host Africa without its new global heroes. Walid Regragui made a decisive move on Thursday by excluding the junior world champions from his final list , preferring to rely on the backbone of the Qatar squad to challenge the Comoros, Mali and Zambia at home.
Morocco now knows its soldiers for the continental reconquest on its home soil. Walid Regragui has unveiled a final list marked by the resounding absence of Hakim Ziyech , the coach preferring to bet on the explosive dynamics of Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi to win the trophy.
The Atlas Lions do not want to arrive unarmed against Brazil. To prepare for this top-level duel, the Federation is negotiating behind the scenes a friendly match against Ecuador as early as March, a dress rehearsal confirmed by the opposing coach who considers the agreement imminent.