Just over three months before the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup (co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico), Moroccan football is turning a page. Following the end of the Walid Regragui era, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) officially announced on Thursday, March 5, the appointment of Mohamed Ouahbi as the new head coach of the Atlas Lions. At 49 years old, this Belgian-Moroccan technician, who won the U20 World Cup in October 2025 in Chile with the Young Lions, inherits a team in full maturity and immense expectations.
During his official presentation at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, in front of the media and in the presence of FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa, Mohamed Ouahbi delivered a balanced speech, blending humility, gratitude, and a clear vision: continuity of achievements combined with uncompromising meritocracy.
“It is a great honor for me to lead the Atlas Lions. I will work with seriousness, humility, and determination to continue the development of the team and consolidate the achievements made.”
He paid a heartfelt tribute to Walid Regragui, highlighting the legacy left behind:
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Walid Regragui, for the legacy you have left us, for the solid and progressing team you built, and for your closeness to young national coaches when you were not obliged to do so.”
Ouahbi also expressed his gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for his unwavering support for Moroccan football, as well as to Fouzi Lekjaa and the FRMF for the trust placed in him.
However, what particularly stood out was his strong statement regarding selection criteria, which contrasts with any favoritism or age calculations:
“My only selection criterion will be performance. I will not make a difference between a 19-year-old player and another who is 34. It is the players’ performance that will matter, only the level and consistent performance.”
This statement, made with firmness, sends a clear message: the door to selection remains open to all, young talents as well as experienced players, as long as they shine on the field – whether in Botola Pro, in Europe, or elsewhere. He emphasized that the team is young, unpretentious, and capable of much further progress.
Among the other points discussed:
- Consolidate the post-2022 momentum without unnecessary revolution.
- Work without complexes with a group full of potential.
- Promote patriotism and Moroccan pride.
- Actively prepare for friendly matches at the end of March (notably against Ecuador and Paraguay), for which a preliminary list is already being prepared.
Surrounded by a strong technical team, including João Sacramento (former assistant to José Mourinho) as the main assistant, Ouahbi is focusing on collective work and pure performance to meet the challenge of a high-pressure World Cup, even if the matches will take place across the Atlantic.
His first words lay the foundations for an ambitious project: intelligent continuity, absolute meritocracy, and ardent patriotism. The supporters of the Atlas Lions, eager for action, are now waiting for the first lists and results to see if this philosophy will bear fruit by June 2026.
