Morocco’s next challenge is to produce a greater number of full internationals from their own domestic system.
The governing body must also continue to reinforce facilities at both the club and academy levels.
Chris van Puyvelde, who served as the RMFF’s technical director from 2022 to 2025, stated the ambition for the next World Cup was to achieve a 50-50 balance between players born in Morocco and those developed abroad.
He did, however, caution that the “entire organizational framework within the nation needs upgrading”.
A careful equilibrium is required, as the rising pressure for immediate results carries the risk of overemphasizing early physical development at the expense of long-term technical ability.
Morocco’s head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, had previously felt the demand for achievement when his under-20 squad fell short of qualifying for the 2023 African Nations Cup.
“We held discussions with the president,” Van Puyvelde recounted.
“He questioned, ‘What is our course of action with these coaches? We were defeated by Libya. That is unacceptable. Measures must be taken. Perhaps we should dismiss them?’
“My response was, ‘President, these are highly capable coaches. We will offer them greater support. We will build a solid framework’.”
With that renewed support and a measure of patience, the Belgian-born Ouahbi and his team subsequently secured victory at the 2025 Under-20 World Cup.
He was elevated to the senior team manager’s position just a few months later, following Regragui’s departure in the wake of a disastrous showing at the senior African Nations Cup.
The championship was ultimately granted to Morocco, who had lost the final 1-0, after numerous Senegal players abandoned the pitch in protest when the North African side was awarded a disputed penalty in second-half stoppage time, a kick that Brahim Diaz went on to miss.
Ouahbi had to swiftly shift his focus ahead of the World Cup, yet the RMFF was also looking far ahead, having secured his contract through the 2030 tournament.
Morocco possesses the third-youngest squad at the competition—their starting players’ average age stands at 26 years and 126 days—and the under-20 triumph points to a new generation of prospects Ouahbi might integrate in the coming years.
There is a palpable sense that Morocco is constructing something significant as the nation readies itself to jointly host the next World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain.
“They are erecting stadiums, but they are also building the foundational structure from the ground up,” Van Puyvelde added.
“As soon as you get a small spark of inspiration, like Morocco experienced in Qatar [in 2022], you witness that energy spreading rapidly.
“Across the entire nation.”
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