Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi is facing a fitness battle to lead his country on home soil after sustaining an ankle injury in November
When the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Sunday, hosts Morocco are hoping it leads to the culmination of an ambitious long-term plan to become the continent's leading football nation.
Since last lifting the Afcon trophy in Ethiopia in 1976, the Atlas Lions have rarely come close to repeating the feat. It is a lengthy wait which contrasts sharply with recent achievements elsewhere.
"Every time I put [on] the Moroccan jersey, it's like an amazing feeling," midfielder Sofyan Amrabat told the BBC World Service.
The former Manchester United player was a key part of the Morocco side who reached the semi-finals of the last Fifa World Cup in Qatar - the first African nation to go that deep at the tournament.
