Key Takeaways:
- Morocco were knocked out of the World Cup quarter-finals by France, losing 2-0
- Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi acknowledged his team struggled against France, who also eliminated Morocco at the previous tournament
- Morocco are set to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal
Morocco Succumb to Superior French Side
Morocco’s aspirations of advancing beyond the World Cup quarter-finals came to a halt on Thursday as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to France. Despite their intentions to progress further, the North African team were forced to concede to the superior quality of their opponents in their last-eight clash.
This marked the second consecutive tournament in which Morocco have been ousted by France, leaving coach Mohamed Ouahbi and his players to come to terms with another hard-fought but ultimately unsuccessful campaign.
🚨🗣️ Mohamed Ouahbi: "Some players stopped because there was a handball!"
"And there was definitely a handball! I don't know if it should be called or not; I have no idea…"
"But ultimately, it was an individual effort from Kylian Mbappé that led to the goal."
"We have to… pic.twitter.com/Rg3VBLZr1v
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) July 9, 2026
Coach Ouahbi’s Post-Match Reflections
Mohamed Ouahbi encouraged his squad to remain proud despite their exit, highlighting the determination displayed throughout the tournament. “I told my players to keep their heads high because we gave our all, we gave our best, but, of course, we need to take stock of the situation, to progress, it’s essential,” Ouahbi told reporters.
While acknowledging the significance of reaching the quarter-finals, Ouahbi stressed the importance of critical self-evaluation to ensure continuous improvement. “We cannot just say that we’re happy and proud of our performance. We need to move forward, and in order to do so, we have to be objective and to do some self-criticism, to assess the situation.”
Match Analysis: France Dominate Proceeding
From the opening whistle, Morocco found themselves under pressure as France dictated play and held the majority of possession. The North Africans struggled to create opportunities, rarely threatening the French goal across the 90 minutes.
Ouahbi spoke candidly about the challenge posed by their opponents: “We are disappointed but the first half was very difficult, the French were very good with a ball. They had a lot of possession, they caused a lot of problems on the flanks with their players, and also in the centre,” Ouahbi said.
The coach pinpointed deficiencies in his team’s transitions and lack of creativity when in possession: “When we had the ball, our transitions were not so great, so we needed to run a bit more, and they ended up being in a comfort zone.”
Ultimately, Ouahbi concluded: “We have to recognise that they’re a great team. They have excellent players and had better goal-scoring opportunities. We lacked ideas and freshness, to do more when we had possession. We have to accept this defeat.”
Historical Context and Future Prospects
Morocco’s journey to the quarter-finals mirrored their run at the previous World Cup in Qatar, where they were again stopped by France, this time at the semi-final stage. Reflecting on this recurring outcome, Ouahbi said: “With regards to the match plan, we know that we can be on par, but we need to work even harder. We feel that we are able to do so. It is clear that today, France was stronger, but we are able to compete and to progress even further, and maybe to eliminate them four years down the line.”
Looking ahead, Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup together with Spain and Portugal, adding further significance to their future development and ambitions on the international stage.
Outlook for France and Closing Remarks
When asked whether France are likely to capture the World Cup trophy, Ouahbi opted not to speculate, but once more praised their quality and ambition. He said: “They want to go all the way to the final and win the trophy, and they have all the qualities. Now… they have to keep going in the next match… they’ll have either Spain or Belgium to play in the semi-finals. I hope it’ll be Belgium,” noted Ouahbi, who was born in Brussels to Moroccan parents.
