The national coach of Niger, Badou Zaki, praised, after the match between Morocco and Niger, the warm welcome he received from the audience in the city of Oujda as well as from the Mouloudia club, which provided him with good preparation conditions with the Nigerien team. He also paid tribute to the Moroccan national team and its coach, Walid Regragui, whom he considers the best coach in Africa.
“The Moroccan national team has the capacity to win the AFCON, as it will be played on our soil and in front of our fans. They have a high-level squad and the best coach in Africa, which is Walid Regragui, and the results are positive. We cannot judge this team solely on the fact that they won 2-1 and not 5-0 or 6-0 as against Gabon. There are matches where the tactical aspect complicates things for even the greatest teams, and that is exactly what happened today. But the greatest quality of Morocco is that they know how to win. Therefore, I am convinced that the AFCON will stay here.”
“It’s difficult for someone in my situation, who has been an international and has always defended the Moroccan jersey, to be on the bench and give instructions to beat this team. Just thinking about it was a trial for me, a situation I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”
“This match was very tactical. We studied the movements of the Moroccan team, but we knew that any lapse in concentration would cost us dearly and that any physical drop could be fatal. That’s what happened. For me, Morocco is a team of a different caliber, and the fact that they had difficulties today does not question their qualities. This team is at a high level, both in terms of players and game plan. This kind of scenario happens even to the biggest clubs. For example, Real Betis posed problems for Real Madrid (Betis won 2-1 against Madrid on March 1, 2025) despite the differences in rankings and squads. Sometimes, certain nights unfold like this.”
Despite everything, Badou Zaki attributed his team’s defeat to a physical deficit, emphasizing that logistical and organizational means are the main weaknesses of Niger. He specified that the late arrival of some expatriate players to the training camp, due to budget constraints and the search for the least expensive transport options, was one of the main obstacles encountered and one of the reasons for Niger’s failure to qualify for the AFCON 2025 in Morocco. While he places Morocco among the favorites for the continental title, Zaki reminded that football does not always follow logic, and the possibility of failure should not overshadow the considerable progress of Moroccan football. He praised the work accomplished at all levels, whether within the national team, the clubs, or the infrastructure, making Morocco a model to follow for many other national teams.
