Explainer: Why Morocco might always have been seen as Africa's best team in Qatar

In the look-ahead to the 22nd edition of the global football spectacle in Qatar it was generally agreed that Senegal were Africa’s best representatives.

And with good reason — the Lions of Teranga were the continent’s No 1 ranked nation and holders of the Africa Nations Cup title.

And Senegal could have done better than their 3-0 last-16 exit to England had Sadio Mane not been injured on the eve of the tournament.

Morocco were drawn in a tough group in Qatar that included the world’s second-ranked nation, Belgium, as well as the 2018 World Cup runners up Croatia.

How and why then did the Atlas Lions manage to not only top that group but to also overcome former champions Spain in the last-16 to set up Saturday's quarterfinal clash with Portugal?

The discerning African football follower would not have been totally surprised, not when they’d been aware of the immense development work being done by the north African nation to improve their game.

The emergence of Wydad Athletic Club of Casablanca as a force of continental football in recent years speaks to great work being done by the football association.

Add to that the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) had four teams in the semifinals of the continent’s club knockout competitions — the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup — and you will understand the strides being made in Morocco.

Unsurprisingly both competitions were won by Moroccan teams, Wydad Casablanca and RS Berkane respectively.

The country also has the Caf Women's Champion League title — won by AS Far over Mamelodi Sundowns — and were runners-up as hosts to Banyana Banyana in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

The success can be traced to the restructuring of Moroccan football in the past decade.

Morocco should have achieved more than a lone win in the Nations Cup in 1976; in the World Cup the Lions have been one of the continent’s pioneers.

Egypt were Africa’s first participants at a World Cup, in the second global event in 1934, when Fifa had just 36 members and the Pharaohs had to beat Palestine in a lone qualifier to reach the 16-team finals.

They lost their lone match in Italy against Hungary.

More than three decades later Morocco were the next team from the continent to qualify in Mexico in 1970 after Fifa set aside a place for one African team.

They were not disgraced, scaring eventual bronze medallists West Germany in a 2-1 defeat, losing 3-0 against Peru and drawing 1-1 with Bulgaria.

In 1986, again in Mexico, Morocco beat Portugal 3-1 in the group stage to become Africa’s first team in the second round.

There West Germany, again — who were the eventual finalists in 1986 — battled to a 1-0 win against the Lions.

Morocco made first round exits in the 1994, 1998 and 2018 World Cups.

Their continued failure to win the Nations Cup inspired the launch of a national training centre by King Mohammed IV in 2009 that carried his name in Salé, near Rabat.

Renowned FRMF president Fouzi Lekjaa, since his election in 2014, has overseen a major infrastructural overhaul.

In 2019 Morocco inaugurated a renovated Mohammed VI Football Complex costing $60m (R1.08bn).

Lekjaa says the facility will allow Morocco to “sit at the top of the continental and international scene” for years to come.

Granted they did not have a great Africa Cup of Nations campaign, but their success at club level no doubt infused them with great confidence going to the World Cup where they were to be coached by — wait for it — the man who delivered the Champions League for Wydad, Walid Regragui.

The change in technical personnel closer to the tournament could have backfired. But it proved to be a masterstroke, the 47-year-old recalling the “troublesome” yet supremely talented Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech who had fallen out of favour with deposed Bosnian coach Valid Hallihodzic.

In Qatar, Ziyech has been his brilliant self — dishing out the kind of displays that saw him starring for Ajax Amsterdam during the 2018-2019 Champions League to see the Blues coming after his signature.

Morocco have an even better and more consistent player in their ranks — the Paris St-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi. 

There always seemed the chance that if the wayward Ziyech showed up in Qatar he and Hakimi could help a quality, well-drilled all-round line-up go far.

Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral, who is in Qatar as a member of the Fifa technical study group that analyses matches, is full of praise for the Atlas Lions.

“Morocco have surprised everyone. I think it is more the way they are playing because they have always had brilliant players.

But in the past they had a very individual approach and they tended to lack tactical discipline.”

He says they are a very different side now.

“This time they stick to the approach and have been playing as a collective. Most impressive for me has been their very organised defence.

“This is proven by the fact that they have conceded just one goal in their past seven matches.”

He highlighted that the Moroccans’ defensive prowess was particularly evident in their defeat of Spain via shoot-out from the penalty spot after a goalless 120 minutes.

“They have been very solid but especially against Spain, who could not once get into their golden area,” Ertugral said, adding that the technical team should be “complimented for coming up with a great approach to the matches”.

What Ertugral has also picked out, is there is total buy-in from the players, and this in a national team renowned for having prima donnas has been impressive.

“The great thing about them is the team believes in what they are doing and they approach every match they play with confidence.”

Whether that confidence will be enough to see them make African football history by becoming the first nation from the continent to reach the semifinal by beating Portugal remains to be seen.

Ertugral, while impressed by Morocco, feels Cristiano Ronaldo and Co will present a tougher proposition.

“Portugal will be very different because they are very effective in the final third because their movements off the ball make their entry [into the opposition danger area] very effective.”

Not that Morocco will be bothered. After all, they were hardly given any chance of making it past the group stage. But here they are, still standing tall.

And there can be no denying that the hard work done at club level is partly responsible for the success they are enjoying.

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