Morocco
Spain and Morocco begin a long race to host the 2030 World Cup final
The Bernabéu was the favourite, but the world’s largest stadium is set to rise in Casablanca. Other signs suggest the race remains wide open.
Mohamed Ouahbi never played football seriously, worked as a PE teacher until he was nearly 30 and can now take Morocco to a World Cup semi-final
The Moroccan national team coach, born and raised in Belgium, has a story that mirrors that of his side.
Morocco have become a major international force thanks to scouting and a state-of-the-art national technical centre that cost €55 million
The right infrastructure investments always pay off, and Ouahbi’s side are the perfect example.
Netherlands and Morocco in a long-running competition over dual-nationality talent, with Robin van Persie’s son now involved
The balance of power has been shifting in recent years, as players with multiple passports no longer treat African national teams as a fallback option.
At the World Cup, Ismael Saibari looks like a forward with unusual qualities, and Bayern may already have done well to sign him
Morocco’s centre-forward has scored twice against Brazil and Scotland, in a role he interprets in his own way. An all-action attacking player, perhaps more than a traditional striker.
Morocco has become a football power, the result of a strategic plan that could serve as a model for the rest of Africa
From aggressive scouting across the diaspora to sustained investment in academies and infrastructure, the model has produced striking results.
Brazil–Morocco night and 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, talent and personality evident from the start
Refined technique, relentless focus, athletic build and the lightness of elite players: the Lille midfielder has the qualities to play at the highest level of football.
A Morocco national team unlike anything seen before
High tempo, refined technique, few familiar names: behind Hakimi and Brahim, the World Cup turns to the rest. Brazil included.