Morocco has every chance of becoming the next superpower in world football. The statement may seem bold to many, but it is no exaggeration to Neil Ward of Wales, who has watched the Moroccan football scene closely.
Ward, a former chief executive of the Football Association of Wales Trust, joined Morocco’s Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) as director of technical operations in 2020. When Morocco became the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, he witnessed first-hand the joyous celebration on the streets of Rabat, from the king to the common people.
Despite losing to France in the semi-finals, Morocco faces another epic battle as they face France (Les Bleus) again in the final at Boston Stadium on Thursday.
But whatever the outcome of the match, it is clear that this country, one of the co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup, has only just begun.
According to Simon Jennings, another British coaching academic who was responsible for developing Morocco’s youth football from 2020 to 2024, ‘This is not a sudden accident, but the result of a specific national ambition.’