The head coach of the Moroccan national team, Hoalid Regragui, expressed his satisfaction after the victory against Niger in the World Cup qualifiers. He emphasized that the challenges faced during this match provide a valuable opportunity for the players to prepare for similar scenarios and future challenges, whether in the World Cup qualifiers or the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted in Morocco.
“First of all, I want to congratulate the players, even though we did not deliver our best performance in the first half compared to our recent games. However, we responded well after Niger’s goal and played an excellent last half-hour, showing quality and a strong desire to win, especially mentally. Overall, it was a deserved victory given the many chances we created, particularly in the second half. The most important thing was securing the three points—four wins in four matches, with another game coming up on Tuesday. I also take lessons from this match, especially from the first half.”
“I would like to give a big shoutout to the fans because they played a huge role in this victory. They supported us until the very end, and this is exactly the kind of support we need to win the AFCON. Even when the score was 1-1 in the 80th minute, they kept cheering without showing frustration, which motivated the players to push for the win. In other situations, some fans might have expressed dissatisfaction, but since we arrived in Oujda, we have felt their love and passion. I have always said that the Oujda fans are exceptional, and we are counting on their support again on Tuesday.”
Regragui also discussed the evolution of the national team’s bench and the strengthening of squad depth—an essential factor for top teams. He pointed out that this was a key difference during the 2022 World Cup, where squad depth played in favor of France (in the semifinals) and Croatia (in the third-place match) against the Atlas Lions, who suffered from key absences. He stressed that every player called up must give their all without holding back to avoid repeating a first half that he deemed unsatisfactory. He also announced the arrival of new players who will increase competition within the squad and enhance the team’s strength ahead of the next AFCON.
Regarding absences, Regragui mentioned that both Osame Sahraoui and newcomer Chemsdine Talbi were sidelined due to injuries. However, he explained that their presence in this training camp was crucial for their integration into the squad, just like Hamza Igamane, who came on as a substitute for En-Nesyri in the second half. Finally, he praised Badou Zaki, acknowledging the remarkable work he has done with every team he has coached, as reflected in Niger’s impressive performances since his appointment.
