DUBAI: Morocco’s 2-0 quarterfinal defeat by France ended another memorable FIFA World Cup campaign, but perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Atlas Lions’ exit was not the result — it was what followed.
Four years after becoming the first Arab and African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal, Morocco no longer measures success simply by how far its team progresses. Expectations have changed. And that was evident in the reaction following the loss to France.
“We can’t just say we are happy and proud with our achievements here. We need to move forward, be self-critical and assess the situation,” said head coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
Those words capture the evolution of Moroccan football.
Not long ago, reaching the knockout stages of a World Cup would have been celebrated as a remarkable achievement. Today, a place in the quarterfinals and a competitive campaign against one of the current tournament favorites leaves a sense more was possible. That is not disappointment born of unrealistic expectations — it is the mindset of a team that now believes it belongs among the world’s elite.
