U-20 FOOTBALL
Othmane Maamma: Morocco’s breakout star lighting up the U-20 World Cup
Morocco’s return to the FIFA U-20 World Cup after two decades has found a face: Othmane Maamma.
In two group matches the 19-year-old has provided the decisive moments that have taken the Atlas Cubs from dark horses to group winners, first shredding Spain down the right and then stunning Brazil with a scissor-kick of rare audacity. If this is a tournament that forges futures, Maamma looks forged already.
The Watford forward (signed from Montpellier in July) has been Morocco’s spearhead and safety valve in Chile: a direct runner on the shoulder, happy to carry 30 metres in transition, and ruthless when the window opens.
Against Spain he turned defence into incision, burning his full-back to square for Gessime Yassine’s clincher in a 2-0 win.
Four days later, with Brazil squeezing, he improvised the goal of the night — opening his body to acrobatically volley in Gessime’s deep cross — and tilted a heavyweight contest Morocco’s way in a 2-1 victory that sealed qualification.
Maamma’s impact has been as much about tone as numbers. Morocco have been compact and pragmatic without the ball, then startlingly vertical when it’s won. That suits a winger who relishes space and duels.
“I like to sit on the shoulders of the defenders and exploit space. I like one-on-ones, when I can use my acceleration to gain that extra space,” he explained earlier in the week in an interview with FIFA.com.
It’s exactly what head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has asked for: narrow lines to deny passing lanes, then release the wide players quickly and with purpose.
Just as striking has been the teenager’s calm. “Football is football. It doesn’t matter where or who you’re up against,” Maamma said after the Spain game. “You just need to keep a cool head and your emotions in check.”
The message never changed ahead of Brazil either. “I speak of Brazil just as I spoke of Spain. It’s going to be another big game. We’ll do absolutely everything we can to win.” The delivery matched the rhetoric.
Technically, Maamma mixes old-school winger values with modern versatility. He can start wide right and drive outside to cross, drift infield to combine off the nine, or attack the back post from the far side — the movement that produced his bicycle-style strike against Brazil.
At 1.82m, he carries aerial threat and protects the ball better than many pure sprinters; his first touch is typically forward, his second decisive.
This tournament has also underlined how carefully Morocco have built a pathway. Maamma debuted for Montpellier in May 2024, collecting 14 Ligue 1 appearances (two goals, one assist) before Watford moved in the summer, seeing a profile to develop rather than a finished article.
In Chile he has been deployed with clarity. The system demands defensive shifts, then trusts him to decide the transition: carry or combine. His assist versus Spain and finish versus Brazil are two sides of the same coin.
Around him, a coherent team is growing. Yassir Zabiri has provided punch in the inside-left channel, Yassine’s volume of work has made others quicker, while the back line has absorbed pressure with mature discipline.
Ouahbi has tried to keep a lid on the mood — “We’re happy. But it’s only three points, we haven’t achieved anything yet… We want more. Confidence is growing, but we’re going to try to stay humble,” he said after beating Spain — yet even he will recognise how the right talent in the right structure can accelerate belief.
Where does this go next? In the short term, to a last-16 tie with a very different kind of pressure: expectation. Opponents will drop five yards deeper, full-backs will be less adventurous, and the space Maamma feasted on may shrink.
The next step in his tournament will be about variety — receiving to feet and combining in tighter corridors, drawing fouls, and making set plays count. Through two tests, he’s shown the decision-making to adapt.
In the longer view, it’s hard not to project forward. Morocco’s senior side has set a new standard for North African football in recent years; the conveyor belt below them is the point.
A winger who can both hurt elite opponents in transition and contribute in structured possession is a profile every national coach covets. On Chilean evidence, Maamma belongs in that conversation sooner rather than later.
For now, the brief remains simple: keep doing what’s working. Beat your man. Choose the moment. Trust the plan.
In a World Cup that often belongs to the cool-headed, Othmane Maamma has already shown he can decide games without hurry. Morocco have a star for this tournament — and, just maybe, a pillar for the next decade.
-CAFonline
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Morocco pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile by defeating five-time champions Brazil 2-1 in Santiago on Wednesday night to secure qualification for the knockout stage.
Othmane Maamma’s stunning scissor kick just after the hour set the Atlas Cubs on their way before Yassir Zabiri’s emphatic finish doubled the advantage.
Brazil captain Iago Teodoro pulled one back deep into stoppage time from the penalty spot, but it was too little too late for Ramon Menezes’ side.
The Atlas Cubs, one of Africa’s four representatives, now sit top of Group C after following up their opening win over Spain with another inspired performance.
Brazil, meanwhile, were left stunned as they failed to win either of their first two group matches for the first time in the tournament’s history.
After a cagey first half in which Brazil saw a penalty overturned by VAR for simulation, Morocco seized control after the interval.
Maamma broke the deadlock on the hour mark with a spectacular scissor kick from Gessime Yassine’s teasing cross.
Sixteen minutes later, Morocco doubled their lead when Zabiri latched onto Yassine’s clever through ball and rifled home with the outside of his boot.
Brazil pulled one back deep into stoppage time as captain Teodoro converted from the spot, but it proved little more than consolation.
The final whistle sparked celebrations among the Moroccan players and their fans, with the result ensuring they march into the last 16 with a game to spare.
The result means Morocco sit top of Group C with six points after two matches, confirming their progress from a section that also includes Spain and Mexico.
For Brazil, it marks a rare stumble in youth football’s biggest competition, as they failed to win either of their opening two games for the first time in history.
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi praised his young side’s bravery and discipline. “This was not just a victory, it was a statement,” he said.
“We showed that Morocco can compete with the best. The boys played with courage, followed instructions, and fought for every ball. Beating Spain was special, but defeating Brazil gives us even more belief. We will stay humble, but we know we can go far.”
Brazil coach Menezes admitted his side were punished for lapses in concentration.
“This result hurts a lot. We had the chances to finish the match, but football lasts 90, 95, 100 minutes,” Menezes said.
“Games are decided in the details. We conceded the first goal, then the second with a mistake. But we still believe.”
The Atlas Cubs, back in the competition after a 20-year absence, have now defeated two global giants in successive matches, sparking excitement across Africa.
Morocco will face Mexico in their final group match with momentum and confidence on their side.
-CAFonline
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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will be gunning for their first victory at the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile when they face Saudi Arabia in their second Group F match on Thursday.
The seven-time African champions are eager to bounce back after a narrow defeat to Norway in their opening fixture on Monday — a game they largely dominated but failed to convert their numerous chances. Despite sustained pressure in the second half, Nigeria were twice denied penalty appeals that could have changed the outcome.
A win over Saudi Arabia would revive the team’s hopes of advancing to the Round of 16 and put them in a strong position ahead of their final group encounter against Colombia on Sunday.
Head Coach Aliyu Zubair expressed confidence that his players have put the disappointment of the Norway loss behind them and are fully focused on securing maximum points in their next outing.
“We have moved on from the first game. The boys know what is at stake and are determined to get the job done against Saudi Arabia,” Zubair said.
With all key players available for selection, the coach is expected to retain his preferred 4-3-3 formation, placing greater emphasis on attack and ball possession.
Meanwhile, Israel Ayuma, Daniel Daga, and Charles Agada — all of whom received yellow cards in the opening match — will need to tread carefully to avoid suspension ahead of the crucial clash with Colombia.
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Norway got off to a winning start at the FIFA U-20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 victory over Nigeria in their opening Group Stage match on Sunday.
The tightly contested encounter saw both sides create chances, but it was the Europeans who made theirs count midway through a nine-minute penalty kick converted by Rasmus Holten. In what could have been a night of penalty kicks, Nigeria’s two appeal for penalty in the second half were overruled after VAR review.
Nigeria, two-time runners-up at the tournament, pushed hard for an equaliser but were let down by poor finishing and a resolute Norwegian defence.
Coach Aliyu Zubairu’s team started brightly but gradually lost control in midfield as Norway’s technical play and physical presence took effect. The result leaves Nigeria needing a positive outcome in their next group game to revive qualification hopes.
Norway, making their return to the U-20 World Cup after several years, now top the group temporarily with three points, while Nigeria will aim to bounce back in their next outing.
Both teams will return to action later this week as group-stage battles intensify in the chase for a place in the Round of 16.
Nigeria will take on Saudi Arabia while Norway will play against Colombia on Thursday.
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