The Morocco national football team,
french: Équipe du Maroc de football nicknamed "the
Atlas Lions
The Morocco national football team,french: Équipe du Maroc de football nicknamed "the Atlas Lions", represents Morocco in men's international football competitions. It is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, also known as FRM ...
", represents
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
in men's international
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
competitions. It is controlled by the
Royal Moroccan Football Federation
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation ( ar, الجامعة الملكية المغربية لكرة القدم), (french: Fédérarion Royale marocaine de football) is the governing body of football in Morocco. It was established in 1956. It beca ...
, also known as FRMF. The team's colours are red and green. The team is a member of both
FIFA
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
and the
Confederation of African Football
The Confederation of African Football, or CAF for short (french: link=yes, Confédération Africaine de Football, ar, link=yes, الاتحاد الأفريقي لكرة القدم, al-Ittiḥād al-Afrīqī li-Kurat al-Qadam), is the administ ...
(CAF).
Internationally, Morocco won the
1976 African Cup of Nations, two
African Nations Championship
The African Nations Championship (french: Championnat d'Afrique des Nations; abbreviated as CHAN), known as the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship for sponsorship purposes, is a biennial African national association football tourname ...
s, a
FIFA Arab Cup
The FIFA Arab Cup ( ar, كأس العرب, translit=Kaʾs al-ʿArab), or simply Arab Cup, is an international association football competition which has been organized by FIFA since 2021, and is contested by the senior men's national teams of ...
, and finished fourth in the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
. They have participated in the
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
six times. They made history in
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
, when they were the first African national team to finish top of a group at the World Cup and first to reach the
knockout stages
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
R16. However, they narrowly lost to eventual runners-up
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
1–0. In the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
, Morocco became the first African nation to ever reach the semi-finals and the third ever semi-finalist that is not from
UEFA
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...
or
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL, , or CSF; es, Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol; pt, Confederação Sul-Americana de Futebol) is the continental governing body of football in South America (apart from Guyana, Suri ...
(after the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in
1930
Events
January
* January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be ...
and
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
in
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
).
The Atlas Lions were ranked 10th in the
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA Men's World Ranking is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, led by Brazil . The teams of the men's member nations of FIFA, football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the ...
in April 1998. They were ranked by FIFA as the top African national team for three consecutive years, from 1997 to 1999. As of December 2022, Morocco is ranked as the 11th best national team in the world.
History
Pre-independence period
![Sélection_régional_du_Maroc_1942](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/S%C3%A9lection_r%C3%A9gional_du_Maroc_1942.jpg)
The Moroccan national team was founded in 1928 and played its first game on 22 December of that year against the B team of France, to whom it lost 2–1. This team, formed by the best footballers of the LMFA or the Moroccan Football League (settlers or natives), was active in friendly matches against other North African teams such as those of Algeria and Tunisia. These associations of settler clubs and local footballers, in addition to having their own championship, clashed with each other in a tournament that Morocco won several times, such as in 1948–1949.
The LMFA also faced some club teams such as
NK Lokomotiva Zagreb
Nogometni klub Lokomotiva Zagreb ( en, Lokomotiva Zagreb Football Club), commonly known as Lokomotiva Zagreb or simply Lokomotiva, is a Croatian professional association football, football club based in Zagreb. It competes in the Croatian First ...
in January 1950, as well as France A and France B. Against France A the LMFA made a 1–1 draw in Casablanca in 1941.
On 9 September 1954, an earthquake struck the Algerian region of Orléansville (now
Chlef
Chlef ( ar, الشلف, Berber: Clef) is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. Located in the north of Algeria, west of the capital, Algiers, it was founded in 1843, as Orléansville, on the ruins of Roman ''Castellum Tingitanum''. In 1962, i ...
) and caused the destruction of the city and the death of over 1,400 people. On 7 October 1954, the
French Football Association
The French Football Federation ( FFF and 3F; french: Fédération Française de Football) is the governing body of football in France. It also includes the overseas departments ( Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion), a ...
and the Maghreb inhabitants organized a charity match to raise funds for the families of the victims of the catastrophic event. In the match, held at the
Parc de Princes
Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros.
The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47,92 ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, a team made up of Moroccans, Algerians and Tunisians played against the national team of France. Led by star
Larbi Benbarek
Larbi Benbarek; also Ben Barek or Ben M'barek, ar, العربي بن مبارك; 16 June 1917 – 16 September 1992) was a French-Moroccan football player. He represented the France national football team 17 times. He earned the sobriquet of " ...
, the Maghreb selection managed to win 3–2, a month before the
Toussaint Rouge
(, "Red All Saints' Day"), also known as ("Bloody All-Saints' Day") is the name given to a series of 70 attacks committed by militant members of the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) that took place on 1 November 1954—the Catholic fes ...
attacks by the
Algerian National Liberation Front
The National Liberation Front ( ar, جبهة التحرير الوطني ''Jabhatu l-Taḥrīri l-Waṭanī''; french: Front de libération nationale, FLN) is a nationalist political party in Algeria. It was the principal nationalist movement du ...
which marked the beginning of the
Algerian War
The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...
.
The beginnings of Morocco (1955–1963)
In 1955, the
Royal Moroccan Football Federation
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation ( ar, الجامعة الملكية المغربية لكرة القدم), (french: Fédérarion Royale marocaine de football) is the governing body of football in Morocco. It was established in 1956. It beca ...
was established, at the end of the
French protectorate of Morocco
The French protectorate in Morocco (french: Protectorat français au Maroc; ar, الحماية الفرنسية في المغرب), also known as French Morocco, was the period of French colonial rule in Morocco between 1912 to 1956. The prote ...
, which had lasted since 1912.
On 19 October 1957, at the
2nd edition of the Pan Arab Games in Lebanon, Morocco made its debut as an independent country against Iraq, at the
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium (CCSC) ( ar, ملعب مدينة كميل شمعون الرياضية; french: Cité sportive Camille-Chamoun) is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 49,500 seats, located in the Bir Hassan area of Beir ...
, and drew 3–3. At the tournament, Morocco took the first win in its history against
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
, winning 5–1, then beat
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
3–1 to reach the semi-finals. After a 1–1 draw with
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, lots were drawn to decide who would progress to the final, and Syria were selected at Morocco's expense. Morocco withdrew from the third-place play-off against
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
and finished fourth overall.
Between 1957 and 1958, Morocco held numerous friendly matches against the National Liberation Front team, the representative of Algeria before its independence in 1958. In 1959, the team took part for the first time in an international competition, the
qualifying rounds of the 1960 Rome Olympics. Drawn into a group with Tunisia and Malta, Morocco finished second on goal difference and failed to progress. That same year, the football federation of Morocco joined FIFA.
In 1960, Morocco competed in
World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is a competitive match that a national association football team takes in order to qualify for one of the available berths at the final tournament of the (men's) FIFA World Cup.
Qualifying tournaments are hel ...
for the first time. Drawn against Tunisia in the first round, Morocco won the first leg 2–1, while Tunisia won the second leg 2–1. A play-off held in
Palermo
Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
also finished in a tie, so a coin toss was used to determine who progressed. Morocco won the toss, and beat Ghana 1–0 on aggregate to reach the
inter-continental play-offs. Drawn against Spain, Morocco lost 4–2 on aggregate and thus failed to qualify.
In 1961, Morocco held the
Pan-Arab Games and
won the football tournament, winning all five of their matches. Their third match, against Saudi Arabia, resulted in Morocco's biggest-ever victory, winning 13–1. They also claimed their first two wins against a European team, beating East Germany 2–1 and 2–0.
In 1963, the Moroccan team came close to
qualifying for the African Cup of Nations. In the decisive play-off against Tunisia, they were defeated 4–1 in Tunis and won 4–2 at home, they were therefore eliminated. At the
Mediterranean Games in Naples 1963, they finished fourth after a 2–1 defeat in the final for third place against Spain's reserve team.
First appearances in international competitions (1963–1976)
Morocco participated for the first time in the final phase of an international competition at the
1964 Tokyo Olympics
The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this hon ...
. Having qualified under the leadership of manager Mohamed Massoun, the Moroccans were included in a group of three teams due to the withdrawal of
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
. Morocco lost both their matches, against
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
(6–0, the team's worst-ever defeat) and Yugoslavia (3–1, despite taking the lead in the second minute via
Ali Bouachra
Ali Bouachra ( ar, علي بوعشرة, born 8 September 1940) is a Moroccan footballer. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1964 Summer Olympics
The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an inte ...
).
In 1966, the Moroccan Football Association joined the
Confederation of African Football
The Confederation of African Football, or CAF for short (french: link=yes, Confédération Africaine de Football, ar, link=yes, الاتحاد الأفريقي لكرة القدم, al-Ittiḥād al-Afrīqī li-Kurat al-Qadam), is the administ ...
and was able to participate in the competitions organized by the CAF.
During qualifying for the
1968 Olympics, Morocco refused to play against
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, and were eventually replaced by
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
.
In 1968 and 1969, the team was engaged in
qualifying for the
1970 World Cup in Mexico. Their debut eliminated
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
(1–0) and Tunisia after a draw. In the final round of the preliminaries, against
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
and
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
, Morocco obtained five points, finishing ahead of Nigeria and qualifying for the first time for the final round of a world championship. Shortly after, Morocco lost the decisive play-off against Algeria to enter the final stage of the
1970 Africa Cup of Nations
The 1970 African Cup of Nations was the seventh edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa ( CAF). It was hosted by Sudan. Just like in 1968, the field of eight teams was split into two groups of four. Sudan won it ...
.
Morocco thus became the first African national team to qualify for a world championship after having played in an elimination tournament. The Moroccan team, coached by the Yugoslav
Blagoje Vidinić
Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of President of the United States, United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom K ...
, consisted entirely of players in the Moroccan league, including
Driss Bamous and
Ahmed Faras
Ahmed Faras ( ar, أحمد فرس; born 7 December 1946) is a Moroccan former footballer who played as a striker for Chabab Mohammédia at club level and Morocco internationally.
Faras was named African Footballer of the Year in 1975. In 200 ...
.
On 3 June 1970, against
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, Morocco surprisingly opened the scoring with a goal in the twenty-first minute of the game scored by
Houmane Jarir
Mohammed Houmane Jarir (30 November 1944 – 19 May 2018) was a Moroccan people, Moroccan Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He represented the Morocco national football team, Moroccan nation ...
. In the second half, however, the West Germans scored with
Uwe Seeler
Uwe Seeler (; 5 November 1936 – 21 July 2022) was a German footballer and football official. As a striker, he was a prolific scorer for Hamburger SV and also made 72 appearances for the West Germany national team. Widely regarded as one of t ...
and
Gerd Müller
Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (; 3 November 1945 – 15 August 2021) was a German professional footballer. A striker renowned for his clinical finishing, especially in and around the six-yard box, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalsco ...
and won by 2–1. The Lions of the Atlas then played against
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
. This time the Moroccans conceded three goals in ten minutes to lose 3–0. On 11 June 1970, the eliminated Moroccans drew with
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
1–1, with a comeback goal in the sixtieth game of
Maouhoub Ghazouani
Maouhoub Ghazouani (born 1946) is a Moroccan people, Moroccan association football, football midfielder who played for Morocco national football team, Morocco in the 1970 FIFA World Cup. He scored a goal versus Bulgaria national football team, Bu ...
. It was the first point obtained by an African national team at the World Cup.
In the
1972 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, the Lions of the Atlas ousted Algeria, then they faced Egypt, beating them 3–0 in the first leg and suffering a 3–2 defeat on the way back, yet they qualified for the first time for the final phase of the continental tournament. In the group stage, they accumulated three 1–1 draws against
Congo,
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
and
Zaire
Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
and were eliminated in the first round. All three Moroccan goals were by Ahmed Faras.
Qualifying for the
1972 Olympics with two wins and two draws, Morocco debuted in Group A with a goalless draw against the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, then lost 3–0 against hosts West Germany and defeated
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
6–0 with a Faras hat-trick, thereby advancing to the second round. Due to defeats against
USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
(3–0),
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
(3–1) and
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
(5–0), they were eliminated from the tournament; finishing bottom of their group. To date, this result remains the best performance of the Atlas Lions at the Olympic football tournament.
In the
1974 world cup qualifiers, Morocco successfully passed three qualifying rounds before entering the final round alongside
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...
and
Zaire
Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
. Losing 4–0 away against Zambia, the Moroccans bounced back in the second game, defeating the same opponent 2–0 at home. They then went to Zaire for their third game but lost 3–0, conceding all three goals in the second half, with Faras leaving the field due to injury. Morocco filed an appeal, trying to get the match to be replayed; it was dismissed by FIFA. In protest, Morocco withdrew from the qualifiers causing the Atlas Lions to miss their final game at home against Zaire which had already qualified for the finals, with FIFA awarding Zaire a 2–0 win on walkover. For the same reason, Morocco also decided not to take part in the
1974 African Cup of Nations qualification.
In 1974, Morocco played only two games, both against Algeria, achieving a 2–0 win and a 0–0 draw. Morocco then resumed its regular FIFA and CAF competitions, qualifying for the
1976 Africa Cup of Nations by eliminating Ghana in the last round, but failed to qualify for the
1976 Olympics, being eliminated by Nigeria.
Between successes and defeats (1976–1986)
Morocco, coached by the Romanian
Virgil Mărdărescu
Virgil Mărdărescu (also known as "Gil Mărdărescu", "Gheorge Mărdărescu" and "Vintilă Mărdărescu"; July 15, 1921 – June 11, 2003) was a Romanian football manager.
In 1969, was appointed as manager of the Romania national "B" team, know ...
and captained by Faras, took the continental throne at
1976 African Cup of Nations, in his second participation in the competition. Ahmed Makrouh scored the goal of the final match to equalize at 1–1, which gave Morocco the first, and to date, only cup in its history.
After failing to qualify for the 1974 FIFA World Cup, they also did not make
1978
Events January
* January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213.
* January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd go ...
and
1982
Events January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
. At the
1978 Africa Cup of Nations, they were eliminated in the first round, while at the
1980 Africa Cup of Nations
The 1980 African Cup of Nations was the 12th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa ( CAF). It was hosted by Nigeria. Just like in 1978, the field of eight teams was split into two groups of four. Nigeria won its ...
they won third place, beating Egypt 2–0. They then won the
1983 Mediterranean Games, played at home, thanks to a 3–0 success in the final against
Turkey B.
Morocco did not qualify for either the
1982
Events January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
or
1984 Africa Cup of Nations. At the
1986 Africa Cup of Nations, they finished fourth, beaten 3–2 in the consolation final by the
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
.
Golden Generation (1986–2000)
Morocco qualified for the
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was the 13th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June 1986. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia ha ...
which took place in Mexico, and surprisingly won a group with
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, thanks to two draws against the English and Polish and a 3–1 win against the Portuguese. However, they were narrowly eliminated by
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
in the first knockout round, thanks to a goal from
Lothar Matthäus
Lothar Herbert Matthäus (; born 21 March 1961) is a German association football, football pundit and former professional player and manager. After captaining Germany national football team, West Germany to victory in the 1990 FIFA World Cup whe ...
one minute from the end of regulation time. Morocco became the first African and Arab national team to have passed the first round of the World Cup.
Two years later, the Moroccan team presented itself at the
1988 African Cup of Nations
The 1988 African Cup of Nations was the 16th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa ( CAF). It was hosted by Morocco, who replaced original host Zambia. Just like in 1986, the field of eight teams was split into tw ...
as a host country with high expectations. After winning the first round, they were eliminated in the semifinals by
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
and finished in fourth place after losing the consolation final against
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
(1–1 after extra time and 4–3 after the penalty shots).
Failure to qualify for the
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event for a second time (the first being Me ...
opened a period of crisis. In the
1992 African Cup of Nations
The 1992 African Cup of Nations was the 18th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa ( CAF). It was hosted by Senegal. The field expanded to twelve teams, split into four groups of three; the top two teams in ea ...
, the team was eliminated in the first round. They then did not participate in the
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
or
1996 African Cup tournaments. They, however, did qualify for the
1994 World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football, soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the countr ...
in the United States and the
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
tournament in France.
At the
1998 Africa Cup of Nations, after winning their group, Morocco were defeated and eliminated from
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
(2–1).
Difficult years (2004–2018)
![Morocco vs Niger, February 09 2011-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Morocco_vs_Niger%2C_February_09_2011-1.jpg)
Morocco took part in the
2004 African Cup of Nations
The 2004 African Cup of Nations, known as the NOKIA African Cup of Nations, Tunisia 2004 for sponsorship reasons (also referred to as AFCON 2004 or CAN 2004) is the 24th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial international men's footb ...
, drawn into Group D defeating
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
1–0, defeating
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
4–0 and drawing 1–1 with
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. Morocco qualified to the knockout stages, facing
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
; they eventually won 3–1 in extra time, and 4–0 against
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...
in the semi-final. They lost the
2004 African Cup of Nations Final against
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
2–1.
In 2012, the national team won the
Arab Cup
The FIFA Arab Cup ( ar, كأس العرب, translit=Kaʾs al-ʿArab), or simply Arab Cup, is an international association football competition which has been organized by FIFA since 2021, and is contested by the senior men's national teams of ...
, topping their group, defeating
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
in the semi-final and Libya in the final.
In
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, Morocco participated for the first time in the
African Nations Championship
The African Nations Championship (french: Championnat d'Afrique des Nations; abbreviated as CHAN), known as the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship for sponsorship purposes, is a biennial African national association football tourname ...
after failing to qualify in the
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
and
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
editions. led by coach
Hassan Benabicha
Hassan Benabicha ( ar, حسن بنعبيشة; born 15 April 1964) is a Moroccan football manager and former player.
Biography
Benabicha played several years for Wydad Casablanca and is counted among the club's most emblematic players. Once his ...
, Morocco did not make it past the second round after losing 3–4 to
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
in the
Quarter-finals
A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final matc ...
. They managed to qualify for the
2016 African Nations Championship, but were eliminated in the group stages.
Morocco hosted the
2018 African Nations Championship, which included a victory for the home nation, the third North African country to win the competition's title.
Second Golden Generation (2018–present)
![Iran-Morocco by soccer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Iran-Morocco_by_soccer.ru_14.jpg)
Morocco returned to the World Cup after a 20-year absence in
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
. The North Africans were drawn in
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations for grand touring (GT) vehicles used in sports car racing and rallying introduced in 1982 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Although permitted to enter a GT class of the World Sportscar ...
with World Cup favourites
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, and
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. In their opening game against Iran, Morocco showed full dedication but lost 10 in the final minutes of the match, scored by an own goal. In their second game, Morocco faced Portugal but ended losing 1–0 by a goal scored by
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (; born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains the Portugal national team. He is currently a free agent. Widely regarded as one of the greatest p ...
. In the last match against Spain they took the lead 2–1 but was unable to keep it, and drew 2–2, scored by
Khalid Boutaïb
Khalid Boutaïb ( ar, خالد بوطيب; born 24 April 1987) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Ligue 2 club Pau. Born in France, he represented Morocco at international level.
Early life
Boutaïb was born in Bagnols ...
and
Youssef En-Nesyri
Youssef En-Nesyri ( ar, يوسف النصيري; pronounced ; born 1 June 1997) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a striker for La Liga club Sevilla and the Morocco national team.
En-Nesyri has spent his entire senior football ...
.
Morocco entered the
2019 AFCON with high confidence and players claiming them to be the favourites to win. However, in spite of three straight group stage wins, Morocco were shockingly knocked out by
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
in the round of sixteen.
At the
2020 African Nations Championship
The 2020 African Nations Championship, known as the Total African Nations Championship (also referred to as CHAN 2020) was the 6th edition of the African Nations Championship, a biennial football tournament organized by the Confederation of Afr ...
in Cameroon, Morocco won their second CHAN title, in its second consecutive final appearance. Captained by
Ayoub El Kaabi
Ayoub El Kaabi ( ar, أيوب الكعبي; born 25 June 1993) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Hatayspor and the Morocco national team. He started his professional career playing for Racing de Casab ...
, they defeated
Togo
Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
(1–0),
Rwanda
Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...
(0–0), the
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
(5–2),
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...
(3–1), and
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
(4–0) on the way to a final against
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...
in
Yaoundé
Yaoundé (; , ) is the capital of Cameroon and, with a population of more than 2.8 million, the second-largest city in the country after the port city Douala. It lies in the Centre Region of the nation at an elevation of about 750 metres (2,50 ...
. Morocco won 2–0, with both goals scored late into the second half by
Soufiane Bouftini
Soufiane Bouftini ( ar, سفيان بوفتيني) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays for Al Wasl as a defender.
Honors Club
;Hassania Agadir
*Moroccan Throne Cup runner-up: 2019
; Al Wasl Club Dubai - UAE 2022
International
;M ...
and
Ayoub El Kaabi
Ayoub El Kaabi ( ar, أيوب الكعبي; born 25 June 1993) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Hatayspor and the Morocco national team. He started his professional career playing for Racing de Casab ...
. Morocco thus became the first team to win back-to-back titles.
Soufiane Rahimi
Soufiane Rahimi ( ar, سفيان رحيمي; born 2 June 1996) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Al Ain and the Morocco national team. He started his professional career playing for Raja CA.
Club career Raja ...
went on to be named Total Man of the tournament after an astonishing performance scoring a total of 5 goals.
In December 2021, Morocco started its venture at the
2021 FIFA Arab Cup
The 2021 FIFA Arab Cup () was the 10th edition of the Arab Cup, the Arab world's national team football tournament; it was the first edition under FIFA's jurisdiction. It took place between 30 November and 18 December in Qatar, as a p ...
's
Group C
Group C was a category of sports car racing introduced by the FIA in 1982 and continuing until 1993, with ''Group A'' for touring cars and ''Group B'' for GTs.
It was designed to replace both Group 5 special production cars (closed top touri ...
, along with
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
,
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
and
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
. Morocco opened the tournament with a 4–0 win against Palestine, Morocco then managed to overcome a highly defensive Jordan with another 4–0 triumph, They won their final match in a 1–0 victory against Saudi Arabia. they were eliminated in the quarter-final after penalty-shootout against
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
.
After easily topping their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification group which consisted of Mauritania, Burundi, and Central African Republic, Morocco were one of the favorites to win the 2021 edition of the tournament hosted in Cameroon. Morocco were drawn into group E that included
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
,
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
and
Comoros
The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...
. Morocco won its first game against Ghana scored by
Sofiane Boufal
Sofiane Boufal ( ar, سفيان بوفال; born 17 September 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Qatar club Al-Rayyan. Born in France, he plays for the Morocco national team.
Club career Angers ...
in the final minutes of the game. In their second game against Comoros, they claimed a 2–0 victory. Their final match against Gabon ended in a draw, making Morocco reach the round of 16 after ending up first in the group. They defeated
Malawi
Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...
2–1 in the round of 16. They were eliminated in the quarter-final after a 2–1 loss against
Egypt.
After qualifying for the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
by winning the
CAF Third Round African Qualifiers, the team was drawn in
Group F along with
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, and
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. Morocco were not expected to qualify, but after holding previous runners-up Croatia to a 0–0 draw and shocking previous third place Belgium 2–0, a 2–1 win over Canada meant they finished top of the group and advanced to the round of 16 for the first time since 1986. There, they met
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, drawing 0–0 to force a penalty shoot-out. Goalkeeper
Yassine Bounou
Yassine Bounou ( ar, ياسين بونو; ber, ⵢⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⴱⵓⵏⵓ; born 5 April 1991), also known as Bono, is a Moroccan footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Sevilla and the Morocco national team.
Bono began his yo ...
saved two penalties, and
Achraf Hakimi
Achraf Hakimi Mouh ( ar, أشرف حكيمي موح; born 4 November 1998) is a professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Morocco national team. He mainly plays as a right-back. Known for his speed, runs and ...
scored the decisive penalty with a
panenka for Morocco to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time. They advanced further to the semi-finals winning against favourite Portugal, 1–0 . The Moroccan forward
Youssef En-Nesyri
Youssef En-Nesyri ( ar, يوسف النصيري; pronounced ; born 1 June 1997) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a striker for La Liga club Sevilla and the Morocco national team.
En-Nesyri has spent his entire senior football ...
leapt to 2.78m (9ft1) to score a header that was the match-winning goal. That made Morocco the first African and Arab team to qualify for the semi-finals.
However, they lost to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in the semi-final 2–0 on 14 December at the
Al Bayt Stadium
Al-Bayt Stadium () is a retractable roof football stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, which was opened in time for matches in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which began on 20 November 2022. The stadium's construction contract was awarded to Qatari contractor G ...
in
Al Khor
Al Khor ( ar, الخور; also spelled ''Al Khawr''), officially Al Khor and Al Thakhira, is a municipality in coastal northeastern Qatar. Al Khor City, the municipal seat, is located in the northeast coast of Qatar, around from the capital, ...
, putting an end to Morocco's dream run. They played
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
for third place on 17 December at the
Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa International Stadium (, , ) is a multi-purpose stadium located in Al Rayyan, Qatar, around west from the centre of Doha. Its ground comprises a running track and a grass pitch. Opened in 1976, the stadium was named after then-Emir of ...
in
Ar-Rayyan, a rematch of the earlier group stage meeting. They lost 2–1 to the latter, and ended their World Cup campaign at fourth place.
Home stadium
At the time of the
Cherifian Empire, the Philip stadium was the largest Moroccan stadium. Its capacity was 25,000 seats. After the country's independence, the latter changed its name to the
Stade d'honneur de Casablanca (nicknamed "Donor" by the people of
Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
). The stadium will mainly be used by the Moroccan team as well as by the two main clubs of Casablanca:
Wydad AC
Wydad Athletic Club ( ar, نادي الوداد الرياضي, ) commonly referred to as Wydad AC and known as Wydad, or simply as WAC, is a Moroccan sports club based in Casablanca. Wydad AC is best known for its professional Association footba ...
and
Raja CA
Raja Club Athletic ( ar, نادي الرجاء الرياضي, Nādī ar-Rajāʾ ar-Riyāḍī, zgh, ⴰⵙⵔⵉⵔ ⵏ ⵕⴰⵊⴰ ⴰⵎⴰⵏⵓⵏ), commonly referred to as Raja CA, Raja Casablanca or simply RCA is a professional footb ...
. The stadium then underwent a major renovation in order to be able to host the
1983 Mediterranean Games in Casablanca towards the end of the 1970s. It reopened in 1983 under its current name,
Stade Mohammed V
The Mohammed V Stadium ( ar, ملعب محمد الخامس, french: Stade Mohammed V) is a multi-purpose stadium which is part of the Mohammed V Athletic Complex () which is named after King Mohammed V and situated at the heart of Casablanca, M ...
, and then had 80,000 seats before being limited to 67,000 seats following a new renovation in view of Morocco's bid to host the World Cup in 2000. Between 2016 and 2019, the Mohammed V stadium underwent major renovation and modernization works. Its capacity was reduced again and today the stadium has 45,891 all-seated capacity.
The Grand Complex of Rabat was inaugurated in 1983 under the name of
Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium
Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium ( ar, المجمع الرياضي الأمير مولاي عبد الله) is a multi-purpose stadium in Rabat, Morocco. It is named after Prince Moulay Abdellah of Morocco. It was built in 1983 and is the home grou ...
. The national team also plays several matches there. The Rabat stadium could then accommodate 65,000 spectators but it was mainly used by the two local teams of
Far Rabat
Association sportive des Forces armées royales (, ar, الجمعية الرياضية للقوات المسلحة الملكية), commonly known as AS FAR ( ar, نادي الجيش الملكي), is a professional sport club based in Morocco's ...
and
FUS Rabat
Fath Union Sport ( ar, اتحاد الفتح الرياضي), commonly called FUS or FUS Rabat, is a Moroccan professional football club based in Rabat and currently playing in the first division. The club was founded on 10 April 1946. 'Fath U ...
. Its capacity was reduced to 53,000 seats in 2000 and then to 45,800 seats in 2020. It is currently the stadium of Morocco's national football team.
From 2011, the Atlas Lions played most of their matches in the new
Stade de Marrakech, which has a capacity of 45,240 seats. The latter is considered to bring luck to the Moroccan team, which won several important matches there in front of a large audience, notably beating
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
for the qualifications for the
2012 Africa Cup of Nations
The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 28th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football ( ...
football by 4–0, and
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
by 3–1 allowing Morocco the qualification, then another important meeting against
Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
ending in a crushing victory on the score of 4–0, allowing this time, the qualification for the
2013 Africa Cup of Nations
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations South Africa 2013 for sponsorship reasons, held from 19 January to 10 February 2013, was the 29th Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa organized ...
.
During the period of coach
Badou Ezzaki
Ezzaki Badou ( ar, الزاكي بادو; born 2 April 1959), nicknamed Zaki, is a Moroccan football coach and former professional player who played as a goalkeeper. He manages CS Chebba.
Playing career
Born in Sidi Kacem, Zaki represented AS ...
between 2014 and 2016, the Moroccan national team played most of its matches at the
Adrar stadium in
Agadir
Agadir ( ar, أݣادير, ʾagādīr; shi, ⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔ) is a major city in Morocco, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean, and south ...
, which has a capacity of 45,480, and also a
friendly match
An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, a scrimmage, a demonstration, a preseason game, a warmup match, or a preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sporting event whose prize money and impact on the player's or ...
was played in it during the period of
Hervé Renard
Hervé Jean-Marie Roger Renard (born 30 September 1968) is a French professional football coach and former player who is the manager of the Saudi Arabia national team.
Renard has previously been the manager of Zambia national team, with whom ...
between Morocco and the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in 2017, and it is considered the most prominent match for Morocco that was played in this stadium.
Morocco also has other large stadiums built in the 2000s such as the one in
Fez Stadium
The Fez Sports complex () is a multi-purpose stadium in Fez, Morocco. It is used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities, the stadium holds 45,000 and was built in 2003.
History
The plans of this stadium realized b ...
which has 45,000 seats and which hosts the two clubs of the city:
MAS Fez
Mas, Más or MAS may refer to:
Film and TV
* Más y Menos, fictional superhero characters, from the Teen Titans animated television series
* "Más" (''Breaking Bad''), a season three episode of ''Breaking Bad''
Songs
* ''Más'' (album), by Span ...
and
Wydad de Fès
Wydad Athletic de Fès is a Moroccan football club currently playing in the Second division. The club was founded in 1948 and is located in the town of Fès.
Wydad Athletic Club de Fès (W.A.F) were promoted from the 2nd Division in 2008–09 ...
.
File:Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah.jpg, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat
File:Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca.jpg, Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca
File:Stade de marrakech.jpg, Stade de Marrakech, Marrakech
File:Stade Ibn Batuta, Tanger.jpg, Stade Ibn Batouta, Tangier
File:Stade-Adrar2019.png, Adrar Stadium, Agadir
Kit suppliers
Morocco's home colours are most red shirts and green shorts and socks, away colours are usually all white or all green.
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2022
2023
Coaching staff
Coaching history
Players
Current squad
The following 26 players were called up for the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
.
On 13 November,
Amine Harit
Amine Harit ( ar, أمين حاريث; born 18 June 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Marseille. Born in France, with Moroccan parents, he plays for the Morocco national team.
Club career Nantes
H ...
withdrew from the tournament due to an injury and was replaced by
Anass Zaroury
Anass Zaroury ( ar, أنس الزروري; born 7 November 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Premier League club Burnley. Born in Belgium, he plays for the Morocco national team.
Club career
Charleroi
On 1 Febr ...
.
''Caps and goals are correct as of 17 December 2022, after the match against
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
.''
Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.
INJ
INJ
INJ
DEC Player declined the call-up to the squad
INJ Did not make it to the current squad due to injury
PRE Preliminary squad / standby
RET Player retired from internationals
SUS Player is suspended
WD Player withdrew from the roster for non-injury related reasons
Previous squads
Player records
:''Players in bold are still active with Morocco.''
Most appearances
Top goalscorers
Competitive record
FIFA World Cup
Morocco's national football team has participated six times in the FIFA World Cup. Their best performance was in the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
where they finished in fourth place, becoming both the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
Africa Cup of Nations
African Nations Championship
Olympic games
* Football at the Summer Olympics has been an
under-23 tournament since the 1992 edition.
All-Africa Games
*
Prior to the Cairo 1991 campaign, the Football at the All-Africa Games
The men's Association football tournament has been held at every session of the African Games since 1965. Women's competition was added in 2003.
Since 1991, age limit for men teams is under-23, same as the age limit in football competitions at ...
was open to full senior national teams.
Mediterranean Games
''1951 to 1987 senior teams, from 1991 youth teams.''
Pan Arab Games
FIFA Arab Cup
Minor tournaments
Head-to-head performance
''Correct as of 17 December 2022.''
(*) includes
(**) includes
(***) includes
Honours
Major competitions
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
* Fourth place:
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations referred to as AFCON (french: Coupe d'Afrique des Nations, sometimes referred to as CAN, or TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons), and sometimes as African Cup of Nations, is the main internati ...
*
![Gold medal africa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Gold_medal_africa.svg)
Champions:
1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
*
![Silver medal africa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Silver_medal_africa.svg)
Runner-up:
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
*
![Bronze medal africa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Bronze_medal_africa.svg)
Third-place:
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – ...
* Fourth-place:
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
,
1988
File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
African Nations Championship
The African Nations Championship (french: Championnat d'Afrique des Nations; abbreviated as CHAN), known as the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship for sponsorship purposes, is a biennial African national association football tourname ...
*
![Gold medal africa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Gold_medal_africa.svg)
Champions:
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
,
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
FIFA Arab Cup
The FIFA Arab Cup ( ar, كأس العرب, translit=Kaʾs al-ʿArab), or simply Arab Cup, is an international association football competition which has been organized by FIFA since 2021, and is contested by the senior men's national teams of ...
* Champions:
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
* Troisième:
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
Pan Arab Games
The Arab Games ( ar, الألعاب العربية), also called the Pan Arab Games, are a regional multi-sport event held between nations from the Arab world. They are organized by the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees. The first Game ...
* Gold Medal:
1961
Events January
* January 3
** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015).
** Aero Flight 311 ...
,
1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
* Silver Medal:
1985
The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** The Internet's Domain Name System is created.
** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
Mediterranean Games
The Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport event organised by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (CIJM). It is held every four years among athletes from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea in Africa, Asia and Europe. The fir ...
*
![Gold MedGames](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Gold_MedGames.svg)
Gold Medal:
1983
The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...
,
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
*
![Bronze MedGames](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Bronze_MedGames.svg)
Bronze Medal:
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
,
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
Islamic Solidarity Games
The Islamic Solidarity Games ( ar, ألعاب التضامن الإسلامي) is a multinational, multi-sport event. The Games involve the elite athletes of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation who compete in a variety of sports. The Solidari ...
* Gold Medal:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
* Silver Medal:
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
Friendly tournaments
Jeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie (Canadian English: ''Francophonie Games''; British English: ''Francophone Games'') are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French-speaking nations and former colonies of France, ...
* Gold Medal:
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
* Silver Medal:
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
,
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
* Bronze Medal:
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
Kuneitra Cup
The 1974 Kuneitra Cup ( ar, كأس القنيطرة 1974) was an international football tournament held in Damascus, Syria, from 26 September to 9 October 1974. Morocco won the tournament, beating Syria in the final.
Format
The 11 teams were ...
* Gold Medal:
1974
Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...
Nehru Cup
The Nehru Cup was an international association football tournament organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), named after the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. It was launched in 1982, but was not held from 1998 to ...
* Bronze Medal: 1985
Friendly competitions
LG Cup
* Runners-up:
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
* Third place:
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
,
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
,
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
World Military Cup
The World Military Cup is a football competition for national military teams. It is organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). The tournament has been held since 1946 and was originally called the World Military Championship. ...
* Runner-up: 1966, 1989, 1993
* Third place: 1965, 1967
Awards
African National Team of the Year
* First place : 1985, 1986, 1997, 2022
* Second place : 1993, 1998, 2003, 2004
* Third place : 1980
FIFA Best Mover of the Year
* First place : 2022
* Third place : 1993
See also
*
Cultural significance of the Atlas lion
*
Morocco A' national football team
The Morocco A' national football team ( ar, منتخب المغرب لكرة القدم للمحليين) is the local national football team of Morocco and is open only to domestic league players. It is the only team to win the African Nations ...
*
Morocco national under-23 football team
The Morocco Olympic football team represents Morocco in international football competitions in Olympic Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except three overage players. The team is controlled by the Fédération Royale ...
*
Morocco national under-20 football team
Morocco national under-20 football team, represents Morocco in association football at an under-20 age level and is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Morocco. The current coach is Zakaria Ab ...
*
Morocco national under-17 football team
The Morocco national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of Morocco and is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. The team competes in the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, UNAF U-17 Tournament, Arab Cup U-17 a ...
*
Morocco women's national football team
The Morocco women's national football team ( ar, منتخب المغرب لكرة القدم للسيدات, french: Équipe du Maroc féminine de football) represents Morocco in international women's football and is controlled by the Royal Mor ...
*
List of Morocco football players in foreign leagues
This is a complete List of Moroccan football players in foreign leagues, i.e. association football players who have played in foreign leagues.
The history of Moroccan players in Europe
A large number of Moroccan players played in Europe, espe ...
*
Morocco national football team records and statistics This article lists various football records in relation to the Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team,french: Équipe du Maroc de football nicknamed "the Atlas Lions", represents Morocco in men's international footb ...
Other football codes
*
Morocco national futsal team
The Morocco national futsal team, nicknamed ''Ousoud Al Atlas (Lions of the Atlas)'' represents Morocco in international futsal competitions. It is affiliated to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and is one of the strongest teams in The world ...
*
Morocco national beach soccer team
The Morocco national beach soccer team represents Morocco in international beach soccer competitions and is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Morocco.
History
The national team has partic ...
Notes
References
External links
Official websiteof Morocco's FA
FIFA profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morocco National Football Team
African national association football teams
M