Just days after Morocco’s elimination in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup against France, Mohamed Ouahbi addressed the media on Tuesday, July 14, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex. The national coach reviewed the journey of the Atlas Lions while reaffirming Moroccan football’s ambitions for upcoming challenges.
At the start of the press conference, the Moroccan coach took the time to thank the various stakeholders who supported the team during this World Cup adventure, including the players, their families, and the supporters.
“I am here to review our performance and talk about the near future, which will be better and very promising for our football. I want to thank His Majesty King Mohammed VI for his support and vision from the beginning, as well as the players and their families,” he stated.
Despite the disappointment stemming from the elimination against France, Mohamed Ouahbi does not want to reduce the Moroccan tournament to just that match. Morocco notably advanced from the group stage before eliminating the Netherlands and then Canada, before their journey ended in the quarter-finals.
“The competition stopped in the quarter-finals, but our ambition continues and will not stop. I congratulate France on their victory, as they fully deserve it,” acknowledged the national coach.
Ouahbi takes responsibility for the elimination
In response to criticism regarding the performance against the French team, Mohamed Ouahbi accepted his share of responsibility. However, he reminded that the assessment should be based on the entire competition and not just the last match.
“I take responsibility as a coach, but we must not forget the journey we made. We have a dominant team that plays with a purely Moroccan style. We will continue to be ambitious,” he assured.
The coach believes that his team managed, for a large part of the tournament, to impose an identity based on ball control, the desire to move forward, and a more dominant style of football.
“Our goal was to establish a new dynamic, to be more ourselves, with our identity and dominant football. At times, we were less so, but I think Moroccans took to the streets after each match. We made an entire nation vibrate,” Ouahbi continued.
No change in philosophy against France
Mohamed Ouahbi also rejected the idea that Morocco deliberately abandoned its football against France. According to him, the game plan and intentions were the same as in previous matches.
“Against France, the game plan was the same as in previous matches. I never asked my team to change their way of playing. The players know when to press high or manage certain weaker moments. We did not change our system or modify our intentions,” he explained.
The main regret of the coach concerns the use of the ball. The Atlas Lions did not manage to escape the French pressure sufficiently nor to establish their game in the opponent’s half for long periods.
“We lacked personality to bring the ball into their half. That is my only regret. At no point did I feel that the players did not want to play. On the contrary, they gave their all, and I want to congratulate them for their performance,” emphasized Mohamed Ouahbi.
An unwavering ambition for the Atlas Lions
Beyond the elimination, Mohamed Ouahbi now wants to build on the lessons learned from this World Cup to continue the progression of his team. The coach believes that Morocco has a solid foundation, supported by several young players and significant competition in many positions.
His remarks thus reflect a clear desire not to view the quarter-final reached in the United States as an endpoint. For Mohamed Ouahbi, the goal remains to nurture this generation and enable Morocco to continue establishing itself among the best national teams in the world.
“The competition has stopped, but our ambition will not stop,” he insisted, already focused on the upcoming challenges for the Atlas Lions.
