The beginnings of football in Morocco and the emergence onto the international stage
Social and political conditions favoring the emergence of football
Football arrived in Morocco at the end of the 19th century, mainly through the European settlers, notably the British and the French. The emergence of football in Morocco coincides with the evolution of the country’s social and political structures, notably the rise of nationalism and the struggle for independence. Football served as a catalyst to unite communities around a common goal and was used as a means of expressing the desire for independence and national sovereignty.
The impact of the first clubs and the affirmation of national identity
The first Moroccan football clubs were created in the early 20th century, notably the Union Sportive Marocaine in 1917, once nicknamed the “Monster”, which swept up a large share of the cups and championships organized by the Protectorate authorities. Its football section has now disappeared, but the other sacred monster is none other than the Wydad Athletic Club, founded in 1937. It was a creation which, through the events that marked its path, constituted in itself an act of resistance and nationalism.
The Rajaoui monument was founded in 1949, when the resistance against the French colonizer was in full swing. It gathered the best players from the amateur teams of Derb Sultan, brought together by a group of Moroccan nationalists and trade unionists, among them Maati Bouabid, who would become prime minister 30 years later. The choice of green as the club’s main color is no accident, as it is the color of Islam.
These clubs played a crucial role in the affirmation of Moroccan national identity, bringing communities together around a shared interest in sport and creating a sense of belonging to a nation in the making. The clubs also encouraged the development of local talent, laying the foundations for a competitive national team.
The national team’s journey through the various editions of AFCON and the World Cup
Morocco’s first World Cup appearance dates back to 1970 in Mexico. Since then, the Atlas Lions have taken part in six editions of the World Cup. Their best performance came in 1986, when Zaki, Timoumi, Bouderbala and Dolmy, led by the late Mehdi Faria, qualified for the round of 16 as winners of a group featuring England, Poland and Portugal. They beat the latter hands down, 3-1, at the end of a match dominated head and shoulders by the Atlas Lions.
Morocco was the first African nation, but also the first Arab nation, to reach the knockout stage of a football World Cup. Unfortunately, they had to bow out against the West Germany of the legendary Lothar Mathaus, who caught Zaki and the Moroccan wall off guard with a low, well-placed long-range free kick at the very end of regulation time. The dream slipped away abruptly in the round of 16.
And because the heroes of yesterday inspire the heroes of today, in 2022, a new generation of champions led by the brilliant Walid Regragui took over and wrote, in letters of gold, the most beautiful chapter in the history of Moroccan, African and Arab football. The Moroccans stood out once again as pioneers and became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a football World Cup, emerging as clear winners of a group made up of two giants of European football, the Croatia of Modric and the Belgium of Kevin de Bruyne, joined by the Canada of Alphonso Davies.
In the next round, Morocco knocked out Spain on penalties. We still remember the smile that never left the lips of Bounou, who conceded not a single goal, as well as Hakimi’s penguin dance after his Panenka. Come the quarter-finals, En-Nesyri took flight and met Attiyat-Allah’s high cross with a header to send Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal back home.
Unfortunately, with the team weakened by injuries to its center-back pairing, Aguerd and Saiss, who had shone brightly throughout the competition, the French hurdle proved too high for the Atlas Lions, who bowed out 2-0, one step away from the final. The dream stopped abruptly once again. But that did not prevent the celebration, the joy and the pride that swept over the Moroccan people, proud of their champions, during a run that consecrated several values that make Tamghrabit vibrate in our hearts, Nniya and Rdat Lwalidin.
On the continental stage, Morocco won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1976 and reached the semi-finals on several occasions, notably in 1980, 1986 and 1988, reaching the final in 2004 before bowing out 2-1 at the mythical Rades stadium against Tunisia, the host country of the competition.
Moroccan clubs in continental competitions and iconic Moroccan players
Moroccan clubs’ performances and rivalries with African teams
Moroccan clubs have known a measure of success in continental competitions. Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca have won the CAF Champions League 3 times each, while AS FAR has won it just once.
FUS Rabat, MAS Fes and RSB Berkane have also won continental titles. Moroccan clubs have developed historic rivalries with other African teams, notably those of Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia. These rivalries have given rise to iconic, thrilling and hard-fought matches that have captivated fans across the continent.
Iconic Moroccan players
Morocco has produced many talented players who have left their mark on the history of national and international football. Among them:
Ahmed Faras: A prolific striker, Faras is the first Moroccan player to have won the African Ballon d’Or, in 1975, and he remains to this day the top scorer of Morocco’s national football team.
Abdelmajid Dolmy: A legend of Raja de Casablanca and the national team, midfield maestro and absolute darling of the Moroccan public, Abdelmajid was as well known for his talent as for his spirit of fair play, recognized all the way to Unesco, which awarded him the “fair-play prize”, given to reward a “player whose exemplary morality and courtesy make him unanimously regarded by his teammates or opponents as an ambassador of football”.
Badou Zaki: An iconic goalkeeper for the WAC and RC Mallorca (which erected a wax statue in his honor in a museum in the city), Badou was one of the stars of the Mexico 86 epic, but also the architect behind the run to the 2004 AFCON final, a competition for which he had unearthed several talents who brought joy to Moroccans, such as Marouane Chamakh, Jawad Zairi, Youssef Mokhtari and Youssouf Hadji, Moustapha’s little brother. One of only two goalkeepers to hold an African Ballon d’Or (1986).
Mohamed Timoumi: The black pearl, an attacking midfielder of genius and a legend of AS FAR, Mohammed Timoumi embodies the beautiful game, fair play and the technical elegance that Moroccan fans adore; his performances in the group stage of the ’86 World Cup were quite simply a recital of technique and game intelligence. He too, of course, holds an African Ballon d’Or (1985).
Ahmed el Bahja: A supersonic winger of the 90s and 2000s, known for his performances with the national team at the 1994 World Cup.
Salaheddine Bassir: A prolific goalscorer, nicknamed Fekkak Lwhayel (The Savior) by the supporters of Raja de Casablanca, he was the delight of the fans of Hilal of Riyadh, who were so attached to the Moroccan that King Hassan II himself was obliged to step in to facilitate his transfer to the Super Depor. Scorer of an iconic volley against Scotland in the group stage of the 1998 World Cup in France — images that aired daily in the title sequence of Al Aoula’s news bulletin.
Noureddine Naybet: A solid center-back trained at the WAC, with spells at FC Nantes and Sporting Lisbon, his best years were spent in the service of the Super Depor, nickname of the greatest team in the history of Deportivo la Coruna; he was crowned best defender of the Spanish league 3 times in a row, and he ended his career at Tottenham Hotspur in London. He captained the national team, remains to this day the record holder for the number of caps, and took part in several editions of AFCON and the World Cup.
Mustapha Hadji: A whirling, technical winger, African Ballon d’Or winner in 1998. He also played for renowned European clubs, such as Deportivo La Coruna, Coventry City and Aston Villa.
Hakim Ziyech: An attacking midfielder with a silky left foot, nicknamed the “Wizard of Amsterdam”, currently under contract with Chelsea. He was a key element of the Moroccan national team during the memorable World Cup run in Qatar.
Achraf Hakimi: A supersonic right-back with 3 lungs, Achraf is the prodigy of Moroccan football, with a trophy cabinet already well stocked despite his young age. Trained at Real Madrid, launched by Zidane, he exploded at Borussia Dortmund, confirmed at the Internazionale of Milan, and is to this day the most expensive Moroccan player in history after signing for the Paris Saint Germain of Neymar, Messi and Mbappe.
These players have contributed greatly to the popularity of Moroccan football and have served as role models for emerging young talents.
Morocco’s historic epic at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Morocco’s epic run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar left its mark on the history of Moroccan football. The Atlas Lions finished in fourth place in the tournament, after being defeated 2-1 by Croatia in the bronze-medal match.
Group stage
Morocco’s journey began on November 23 with a 0-0 draw against Croatia in Group F. The Atlas Lions then followed up with two consecutive victories to finish at the top of their group. On November 27, they beat Belgium 2-0 thanks to goals from Romain Saiss and Zakaria Aboukhlal. On December 1, they triumphed over Canada by a score of 2-1.
Round of 16
On December 6, in the round of 16, Morocco sprang a surprise by eliminating Spain at the end of a dramatic penalty shoot-out (3-0). The Spaniards missed all three of their attempts, while Achraf Hakimi converted the decisive penalty for the Moroccans after 120 intense, goalless minutes.
Quarter-finals
On December 10, in the quarter-finals, the Atlas Lions pulled off another feat by beating Portugal 1-0. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute, allowing Morocco to become the first African nation to qualify for the semi-finals of a World Cup.
Semi-finals
On December 14, in the semi-final, the Moroccans faced the defending champions, France. Despite a valiant resistance, they bowed out 2-0 to Les Bleus. Theo Hernandez opened the scoring as early as the 5th minute, and Randal Kolo Muani sealed the French victory 10 minutes from the end of the match, after a fine move by Kylian Mbappe.
Third-place match
On December 17, in the bronze-medal match, Morocco was beaten 2-1 by Croatia. Josko Gvardiol opened the scoring for the Croats in the 7th minute, before Achraf Dari equalized for the Moroccans two minutes later. However, Mislav Orsic restored Croatia’s lead just before half-time, sealing the victory and third place for his team.
Despite their defeats in the semi-final and in the third-place match, the Atlas Lions made history for Moroccan and African football at this 2022 World Cup. Their exceptional run will remain engraved in memory and testifies to the evolution of Moroccan football on the international stage.
Moroccan football has experienced significant development over the years, thanks to the efforts deployed by the FRMF, investments in infrastructure and international collaborations. The performances of Moroccan clubs in continental competitions and the remarkable careers of iconic players have contributed to the popularity of football in Morocco and have served as models for emerging young talents.
The Atlas Lions’ historic epic at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar marked a major turning point for Moroccan football, demonstrating the strength and determination of the national team on the international stage. The fourth place earned by Morocco in this tournament testifies to the potential of this African nation and to its ability to compete with the best teams in the world.
The successes and progress achieved by Moroccan football are the fruit of hard work and a long-term vision. They also show that, with proper training, continuous support and a passionate football culture, Morocco and its talents can shine on the international stage and inspire future generations of Moroccan footballers.
