On Monday, May 12, 2025, Morocco’s U20 national team secured their spot in the semi-finals of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations by defeating Sierra Leone 1-0 in a hard-fought match. This valuable victory also granted Morocco its ticket to the U20 World Cup, marking the country’s first qualification in two decades.
Facing a determined Sierra Leone team, the Atlas Cubs had to wait until extra time to make the breakthrough. It was Ilias Bouamassoudi who lifted the spirits of his teammates, scoring the only goal of the match, securing a historically significant qualification: a return to the continental semi-finals and a guaranteed place among the world’s elite.
This success highlights the significant progress made in Moroccan youth football, the result of years of structured development in the country’s academies and training centers. By reaching the global stage, Morocco’s U20s confirm the potential of an ambitious generation determined to write a new chapter in the history of national football.
