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International Football

Morocco’s football revolution reaping rewards

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With Morocco excelling in men’s, women’s and youth football, and treading new ground in futsal, we look at what is underpinning their rise.

  • Moroccan’s men, women, youth and futsal sides have been enjoying notable successes
  • Long-term project making the nation a force in world football
  • We look at some of the factors behind the Moroccans’ rise

 

Moroccan football has prospered in recent years, with the men’s national team reaching the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the women’s national team reaching the round of 16 at this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup™, the U-17s also reaching the last 16 at the recent FIFA U-17 World Cup™, and the U-23s winning this year’s U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games in the process.

Morocco also won the FIFA Futsal Confederations Cup 2022, climbing to eighth place in the world futsal rankings, having made it to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Futsal World Cup™ in 2021. Not only were these all firsts for Morocco, but no African or Arab national team had ever achieved any of these feats before. They have been racking up unprecedented achievements in no time at all, despite their relatively low standing in the recent past, and that is thanks to a plan that has been years in the making.

A comprehensive plan

Morocco’s successes in 2022 and 2023, not to mention the country’s successful bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2030 alongside Spain and Portugal, were no accident. In fact, all of this stems from a carefully constructed plan, which is now bearing fruits for Moroccan football and, with long-term sporting investment, will surely continue to do so in the future.

After a group stage exit in 1998, the Atlas Lions failed to qualify for another World Cup until 2018, and they also missed three editions of the Africa Cup of Nations in the 1990s. Such disappointing results were the result of a footballing setup that lacked a structured process for talent identification, player development or professionalisation.

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All that changed thanks to the new project steered by Royal Moroccan Football Federation President, Fouzi Lekjaa. After Lekjaa was appointed to the role in 2017, results quickly picked up thanks to the plan that was implemented across Moroccan football, at all age groups and for the men’s and women’s game, with clubs also playing a key role.

Success begins to bud

With Lekjaa in place, the national federation worked on developing the sporting infrastructure in the country, building new stadia and renovating existing ones. As a result, Morocco was able to host this year’s Africa Cup of Nations across nine of its international stadiums and successfully bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2030 alongside Spain and Portugal.

In 2009, with Moroccan football at a low point, King Mohammed VI built a football academy at a cost of EUR 13 million, with the aim of developing the sport at the national level, and the results were impressive. The academy provides education as well as sporting development, with dedicated study spaces including ten classrooms. It also features a state-of-the-art sports medicine department ready to produce future professionals.

Several talented players have already come from the academy, such as Youssef En-Nesyri, Nayef Aguerd, Hamza Mendyl, Azzedine Ounahi, nine players from the U-17 national team, and six of the women’s team. It has become a gold mine for Morocco’s national teams and a key part in their success on the world stage.

Youth and women’s football

The federation obliged clubs to set up youth foundations to help identify and develop talent, and they have certainly done that, with a number of players going to Europe to play professionally and others raising the level of Moroccan clubs, enabling them to achieve great things in international competitions.

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Similarly, women’s football has greatly benefited from the changes, with AS FAR winning the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2022, not to mention the Atlas Lionesses reaching the round of 16 at this year’s Women’s World Cup. Investing in youth and women’s football was key to transforming Moroccan football.

In 2020, FIFA gave football federations a grant of USD 500,000 US dollars to overcome the impact of COVID-19, and Lekjaa decided to put this money towards the development of women’s football in Morocco.

These funds were used to hire Reynald Pedros as the women’s national team head coach, with responsibilities including overseeing the youth women’s teams and, most importantly, identifying Moroccan talent playing in Europe whilst continuing to develop football locally.

Overseas talent

The federation sought to make the most of the large Moroccan diaspora, particularly given how many were playing in countries with a strong footballing tradition like the Netherlands, Spain and France.

The challenge, once these players were identified, was to convince them to play for Morocco. Thanks to this process, Morocco could count on stars like Hakim Ziyech, Sofyan Amrabat, Nordin Amrabat, Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, who ultimately led the Atlas Lions to fourth place at Qatar 2022.

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The Atlas Lionesses also benefited, with the addition of players such as Yasmine Zouhir, who plays her club football for Saint-Etienne, Iman Saoud, who plays in Switzerland, and Tottenham Hotspur star Rosella Ayane.

Locally-based players have also reached a new level thanks to the improvements in both the men’s and women’s leagues. On top of this, Moroccan coaches have been given the opportunity to study, learn and gain experience, with a view to coaching the national teams and demonstrating their ability.

With Walid Regragui taking over as head coach of the men’s national team, there are now Moroccan coaches overseeing every age group. After years in the doldrums, Morocco became a big name in football thanks to a comprehensive project, long-term planning and a belief in the rewards to be gained from continued hard work.

-CAF

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

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Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

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International Football

Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach

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After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.

But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.

Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.

He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.

Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.

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“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.

FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.

The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.

Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.

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He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.

He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.

The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.

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International Football

Why  FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o

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Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.

He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.

According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.

The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and femaleacross all age groups.

“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.

This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.

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During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.

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