Bruno Fernandes has not forgotten Morocco. Four years after Portugal’s elimination against the Atlas Lions in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, the Portuguese midfielder expressed his desire to face the Moroccan national team in the next World Cup.
When asked by Manchester United about the team he would like to face in the World Cup final, Bruno Fernandes answered without hesitation: “Morocco.” This response was motivated by the presence of Noussair Mazraoui, his teammate at the Red Devils, but also by the still fresh memory of Portugal’s defeat in Qatar.
“My friend Noussair Mazraoui is there. We still have something in us since the last World Cup,” Bruno Fernandes stated, before adding: “This time, I want to beat them.”
This statement from the Portuguese captain obviously recalls the historic quarter-final played on December 10, 2022, when Morocco eliminated Portugal with a 1-0 victory. This success allowed the Atlas Lions to become the first African and Arab team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
For Bruno Fernandes, a potential confrontation against Morocco would thus have a special flavor. Beyond the sporting rivalry, the duel would also have a personal dimension with Noussair Mazraoui, now his teammate at Manchester United.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, this statement confirms one thing: Morocco’s achievement in 2022 is still very much present in people’s memories. And on the Portuguese side, the desire for revenge seems to remain intact.
