Achraf Hakimi of Morocco is tackled by Netherlands defender Micky van der Ven during their World Cup round-of-32 match.
Head coach Mohamed Ouabhi believes his team is primed to mount a deep run at the FIFA World Cup, boldly declaring that the Atlas Lions could be "unstoppable" if they consistently play to their full collective potential.
The Moroccans, who famously captured global attention as beaten semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup, advanced to the round of 16 on Monday night after winning a thrilling, high-stakes knockout battle with the Netherlands on penalties in Monterrey. It was another highly stylish display by the African champions, who dominated territorial possession for long periods in a gripping match that ultimately finished 1-1 following extra-time.
Ouabhi insists that Moroccan football is now reaping the immense rewards of the 2022 senior squad's groundbreaking exploits in Qatar, where they became the first African nation in history to reach a World Cup semi-final.
"The World Cup in Qatar completely transformed the core mentality of the Morocco national team, and I am incredibly well placed to speak about this," said Ouabhi, who last year masterminded Morocco's momentous title charge at the Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
