The media appearance of coach Mohamed Ouahbi, just before the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup between France and Spain, leaves a particularly bitter aftertaste. Beyond the elimination of the Atlas Lions in the quarter-finals against the Blues, it is his statements in the press conference that stand out, oscillating between a major contradiction and an exaggerated respect for the opponent. Two stances that the reality on the field and the demonstration by the Spanish neighbor immediately swept aside.
The refuted fatalism: Spain proved there was a solution
“The assessment I am making about France is not to say: how could we have beaten them. I wouldn’t be able to find the solution, believe me, and I think no one could find it.”
Mohamed Ouahbi.
Publicly declaring that “no one could find the solution” against France is a difficult admission of powerlessness for the coach of Morocco’s national team. Just hours after this statement, Spain, led by Lamine Yamal, delivered a tactical lesson to the Blues by winning 2-0 to qualify for the final, proving that this French team was far from invincible.
Spain found the key by imposing superior technical density in the half-spaces and an asymmetrical pressing to cut off the transition circuits to the French attackers. By refusing to actively seek the weaknesses of this French team during the Morocco-France match, Ouahbi gave the impression of having already conceded defeat.
From denial to contradiction: The signal of fear
It is on another statement that the coach, clearly in denial, locks himself into a blatant contradiction:
“If we change the system, it sends a signal to the opposing team that we are afraid of them, and it sends a signal to our team that we are afraid of the opponent. I think that’s what happened with the Netherlands. So I stuck with the same system of play…”
Ouahbi uses the example of the Netherlands to criticize Ronald Koeman’s ultra-defensive choices, which he believes send a “signal of fear” to the players and overly motivate the opponent. He claims to have remained faithful to his system and its dynamics. However, his choices of players produced exactly the opposite effect.
By choosing not to field a true center forward (a role consistently occupied by Ismael Saibari at the start of the tournament, then by Soufiane Rahimi, his substitute against Canada), Ouahbi did exactly what he reproached the Dutch for. Certainly, the theoretical scheme on the board seemed unchanged, but the absence of a clear offensive reference sent a signal of absolute timidity and sowed a feeling of inferiority.
The consequences on the field: A gift for the French defense
This hybrid choice without a true “number 9” had a devastating double effect, confirming the theory of the “negative signal” that the coach himself denounced:
On the Moroccan side: The players immediately perceived this lack of boldness. Without a pivot and focal point in attack, the block retreated, playing with excessive caution and lacking presence in the box to capitalize on possession phases.
On the French side: This was a source of additional motivation and comfort. The Blues’ defense, which expected a tough physical battle against a professional striker, found itself without direct marking to manage. Freed from this constant threat, the French backline was able to play comfortably, anticipate Moroccan passes, and restart play cleanly without ever being put under pressure.
Fortune favors the bold
In trying to avoid the same mistake as the Netherlands, Mohamed Ouahbi fell headfirst into it during the quarter-finals. One cannot advocate continuity while distorting the offensive dynamics that made the Atlas Lions strong. A few hours later, Spain showed the way of tactical courage by dominating France (2-0). Luis de la Fuente’s protégés managed to find the gap by insisting on the flanks or relying on individual breakthroughs to break through the opponent’s pressing; the Lions, regrettably, remained trapped in a sterile scheme marked by a significant lack of boldness. It would have been nice if the technical staff had proposed to the players a viewing of Mustapha Hadji’s breakthroughs on the flank, Naybet’s runs through the middle, or the long-range shots from Hadji, Ziyech, Daoudi, or El Haddaoui. This might have inspired our National Eleven to better play the ball under pressure, to penetrate, and perhaps find the back of the net, as these living legends did so well in their prime.
🎙Ouahbi: « Le bilan que moi je suis en train de me faire sur la France, c'est pas de se dire : comment on aurait fait pour les battre. Là je ne pourrais pas trouver la solution, croyez-moi, et je pense que personne ne pourrait la trouver.» pic.twitter.com/jGUIF6GZKF
— Mountakhab.net (@Mountakhabma) July 15, 2026
