Hakimi Leads Morocco Into Tournament Under Intense Scrutiny
The Paris Saint-Germain defender brings valuable experience from the highest level of European football and is expected to lead the squad through a tough campaign, writes Gazette's Annet Mugabo.
Morocco will head into the upcoming tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States under growing pressure following their landmark run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The North African side became the first African nation to reach the last four of the competition, a historic achievement that significantly raised the profile of African and Arab football on the global stage.
Since then, Morocco have continued to produce strong results, highlighted by a record sequence of 19 consecutive victories in qualifying matches, surpassing Spain’s previous mark of 15 set between 2008 and 2009.
That success heightened expectations ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco at the turn of the year. However, despite reaching the final, their performances were inconsistent and failed to fully convince supporters.
A controversial defeat to Senegal in the final was followed by the resignation of coach Walid Regragui, who stepped down amid growing criticism from fans.
He has been replaced by Mohamed Ouahabi, who guided Morocco’s Under-20 side to World Cup success last year but has limited experience at senior international level.
Load-bearer
Captain Achraf Hakimi remains central to Morocco’s ambitions, he’s the load-bearer for the Atlas Lions.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender brings valuable experience from the highest level of European football and is expected to lead the squad through a demanding campaign.
Hakimi, one of Africa’s most accomplished players, won the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid and has established himself as one of the continent’s leading footballers through his performances for both club and country.
His leadership and experience will be crucial as Morocco seek to build on their recent success while coping with heightened expectations.
Morocco open their group-stage campaign against Brazil in New York on June 13 before facing Haiti and Scotland.
While progression to the knockout stage is widely expected, the pressure on the team is significantly greater than it was in 2022.
Four years ago, Morocco surprised many by eliminating Spain and Portugal on their way to the semi-finals. This time, they arrive not as outsiders but as a team carrying the weight of expectation.
