Morocco are doing it again.
Three and a half years after a barrier-breaking run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup — the first African nation ever to reach that stage — Mohamed Ouahbi’s side are reminding the world of their giant-killing capabilities. They eliminated the Netherlands in the round of 32. They produced an impressive group-stage display against Brazil. They go into Saturday’s round-of-16 match against Canada as favourites.
A win would take them into the quarter-finals. And this time, unlike in Qatar when many observers remained convinced a setback was coming at every turn, there is a growing sense that Morocco must be taken completely seriously.
Not merely as a romantic underdog story. As a genuine contender.
Table of Contents
A Different Team to 2022
The most important thing to understand about Morocco at World Cup 2026 is that they are not the same team that made history in Qatar.
In 2022, Morocco were a side built almost entirely on defensive organisation and devastating counter-attacks. They ranked 27th out of 32 teams for average possession share at that tournament — a deliberate choice to defend deep, protect the penalty area in numbers and punish opponents in transition when Spain, Portugal and others pushed forward looking for the decisive goal.
It worked spectacularly. Spain and Portugal both fell in the knockout rounds via penalty shootouts before France ended the run in the semi-finals.
Morocco’s Tactical Evolution — 2022 vs 2026
| Metric | World Cup 2022 | World Cup 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Average possession share ranking | 27th of 32 | 9th of 32 (after 4 games) |
| Primary style | Deep block; counter-attack | More possession-oriented |
| Midfield character | Destroying duo (Amallah, Amrabat) | Controlling presence (Bouaddi, El Aynaoui) |
| Technical creative options | Limited | Díaz, El Khannouss, Saibari added |
| Attacking width | Hakimi primary outlet | Hakimi plus more technical support |
Morocco’s ranking ninth for possession at this World Cup reflects a genuine tactical shift. Ouahbi’s side now want to control games as well as absorb and counter. Some of that is tactical evolution. More of it is the emergence of more technical players who make possession-based football genuinely viable in a way it was not four years ago.
The Midfield Transformation
The 2022 Morocco midfield was built around the engine-room partnership of Selim Amallah and Sofyan Amrabat. Both were excellent at what they did — pressing, winning possession, protecting the defensive structure and transitioning quickly. Neither was the type of player designed to dictate the tempo of a game or control possession against a defensive block.
Two players have changed that at World Cup 2026.
Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, has been the tournament’s breakout star. Playing at the base of Morocco’s midfield at an age when most young players are still establishing themselves in domestic football, Bouaddi has been a controlling presence with the composure of a player considerably older. His performances have already generated links to Premier League and European clubs who recognise they may be watching an elite-level midfielder emerge in real time.
Neil El Aynaoui provides the other dimension. The Roma midfielder is averaging more accurate passes per 90 minutes than any other Moroccan player at this tournament — a statistic that reflects both his positioning and his technical reliability. He gives Morocco a foothold in possession that Amrabat and Amallah were never designed to provide.
Together, Bouaddi and El Aynaoui represent a fundamental shift in Morocco’s midfield identity. They can still defend — the defensive discipline that made Morocco so difficult to beat in 2022 has not been sacrificed — but they can also control, distribute and create the structural platform from which Morocco’s attack now operates.
The New Attacking Options
The technical upgrades extend well beyond midfield.
Brahim Díaz has been Morocco’s most impactful creative player at this World Cup. Born in Málaga to Moroccan parents, the Real Madrid playmaker only formally committed to Morocco after the 2022 tournament, and his impact has been immediate and significant. He has registered two assists in four games and leads the entire Morocco squad for expected assists per 90 minutes.
He is precisely the type of creator Morocco lacked in Qatar — a player who can find team-mates in tight spaces, manipulate defensive structures with his movement and provide the kind of attacking invention that takes a defensive-counter team and makes them a genuine multi-threat outfit.
Ismael Saibari, 25, adds another dimension that Morocco simply did not have four years ago. Recently joining Bayern Munich for $60 million, he is a more technical forward than anything available to Morocco in Qatar, combining technical ability with the relentless running that has made him one of the tournament’s most statistically active players. His 144 offers to receive passes in behind — the most of any player at this World Cup — reflect an athleticism and intelligence that Morocco’s attackers previously could not match.
Bilal El Khannouss, 22, completes the picture. He was part of Morocco’s 2022 squad but played only a peripheral role. Now he is a key figure, averaging more shots on target per 90 minutes than any other Moroccan player at this tournament. His natural comfort on the ball, combined with his directness when running at defenders, gives Morocco an option that can unsettle teams who have prepared specifically for Díaz and Hakimi.
Morocco’s Key Players — World Cup 2026
| Player | Role | Key Statistic / Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Yassine Bounou | Goalkeeper | Won all three recent penalty shootouts; 5 penalty saves |
| Achraf Hakimi | Right-back | Double the chances created of any teammate; most accurate long balls |
| Ayyoub Bouaddi | Defensive midfield | Controlling presence; tournament breakout star, 18 years old |
| Neil El Aynaoui | Central midfield | Most accurate passes per 90 of any Moroccan player |
| Brahim Díaz | Attacking midfield | 2 assists; leads team for expected assists per 90 |
| Ismael Saibari | Forward | 144 offers in behind — most at the tournament |
| Bilal El Khannouss | Wide forward | Most shots on target per 90 of any Moroccan |
Achraf Hakimi: The Unchanged Constant
In a team that has changed significantly since 2022, Hakimi remains Morocco’s most important outfield player.
The 27-year-old PSG defender is widely regarded as the best right-back in the world and is central to everything Morocco do going forward. His ability to get in behind opposition defences, combined with his technical quality on the ball and his willingness to play forward and go direct when the opportunity arises, gives Morocco a consistent attacking threat that does not depend on the form of any individual in the forward line.
Hakimi has created double the number of chances of any other Moroccan player at this World Cup. He is averaging more accurate long balls per 90 minutes than any teammate. When Morocco funnel possession into the final third, it usually goes through or around Hakimi on the right side.
His relationship with Díaz on Morocco’s right is particularly potent. When Díaz moves inside, Hakimi overlaps. When Díaz runs wide, Hakimi finds the space between the defensive line and midfield with underlapping runs. Canada identified this combination as a specific concern during their preparation, and for good reason — it is the most consistent and dangerous attacking partnership Morocco possess.
The Goalkeeper Factor
No assessment of Morocco’s prospects would be complete without addressing Yassine Bounou.
Born in Montreal — Canada asked him to represent them in 2013 — the 35-year-old is now one of the most accomplished penalty-saving goalkeepers in world football. His record across Morocco’s last three shootouts is extraordinary: of 12 penalties taken against him, only four were converted, with five saved and three going wide or off target.
Against the Netherlands on Monday, his one-handed save from Crysencio Summerville during extra time was pivotal in keeping Morocco alive before the shootout.
The Athletic’s penalty expert Geir Jordet described Bounou’s specific technique: “He pretends to do a fake movement, but it’s actually a ‘fake for the fake’ movement. This gets into the head of the takers, because he goes a little bit too early, then he pulls it back, and they fall into this net he has cast, over and over. When you know what to look for, it’s mesmerising to watch.”
For Canada and any subsequent opponent, if the match goes to penalties, Bounou represents the most significant individual obstacle they will face.
The Bracket and What It Means
Morocco’s path to the final is not the easiest on the draw.
Morocco’s Potential Knockout Route
| Stage | Opponent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | Canada | Favourites; first African semi-finalist in 2022 |
| Quarter-final | France (probable) | 2022 semi-final opponents; currently the tournament’s best team |
| Semi-final | Spain (probable) | 2022 round-of-16 victims on same side of bracket |
| Final | — | Would be first African nation to reach a World Cup final |
France, currently the tournament’s most dominant side — scoring in 13 goals in four games — are the most likely quarter-final opponent. Spain, who Morocco eliminated in the 2022 round of 16 on penalties, sit on the same side of the bracket as a potential semi-final obstacle.
It is a challenging route. It is also, from a narrative standpoint, a compelling one.
Morocco are 7/2 to reach the semi-finals for the second consecutive World Cup. Those odds would be shorter if the bracket did not place them on a collision course with France at the quarter-final stage. They are 9/1 to become the first African nation to reach a World Cup final — a path that would almost certainly require victories over both France and Spain.
Neither is inconceivable. France have been dominant but face the pressure of expectation. Spain have been excellent but have not yet been tested against a physically organised, tactically sophisticated opponent. Morocco know from 2022 that both nations can be beaten.
Why This Run Feels Different
The question that often followed Morocco in 2022 — can it last? — feels less pressing at this tournament.
In Qatar, there was always a sense that the next match would be where their luck ran out. Their success was attributed to resilience, goalkeeping brilliance and the willingness of opponents to be absorbed by defensive organisation before being punished in transition. It was extraordinary, but it carried the air of a team fighting above its weight.
At World Cup 2026, Morocco look like a team with more. They have technical midfielders who can control games. They have creative players in Díaz and El Khannouss who can create chances against organised defences. They have Saibari stretching opposition lines from deeper positions. They have Hakimi providing a consistent, world-class attacking outlet. And they still have the defensive discipline and Bounou in goal.
The counter-attacking threat has not gone anywhere — Morocco remain extremely dangerous in transition, which was a significant factor in how they hurt the Netherlands. But they can now win games in multiple ways. That versatility, combined with the specific strengths they have always possessed, is what makes them the most credible African side in the history of the World Cup.
If Morocco reach the final in New Jersey on 19 July, they will have done what no African nation has ever done. Three and a half years after becoming the first to reach the semi-finals, they would be writing the next chapter of a story that keeps proving it is far from over.
Read More: Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, The Canadian-Born Goalkeeper Standing Between Canada and History
FAQs
How has Morocco’s style of play changed since the 2022 World Cup?
In 2022, Morocco ranked 27th of 32 teams for possession and relied almost entirely on defensive organisation and counter-attacks. At World Cup 2026, they rank ninth for possession and have evolved into a team capable of controlling games, aided by more technically gifted midfielders and creative forwards.
Who are Morocco’s most important new players at World Cup 2026?
Ayyoub Bouaddi (18-year-old controlling midfielder), Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid playmaker, leading for expected assists), Ismael Saibari (Bayern Munich forward, most runs in behind at the tournament) and Bilal El Khannouss (most shots on target per 90) are the key additions to the squad.
What are Morocco’s odds to reach the World Cup 2026 final?
Morocco are 9/1 to become the first African nation to reach a World Cup final. They are 7/2 to reach the semi-finals, shorter odds that are extended by the probable presence of France in the quarter-final.
Why is Yassine Bounou so effective in penalty shootouts?
Bounou uses a “fake for a fake” pre-shot movement that disrupts penalty takers’ decision-making. Across Morocco’s last three shootouts, only four of 12 penalties were converted against him, with five saved and three missed entirely.
Who was Achraf Hakimi’s most important contribution at World Cup 2026?
Hakimi has created double the number of chances of any other Moroccan player and leads the squad for accurate long balls per 90 minutes. His partnership with Brahim Díaz on Morocco’s right side is the team’s most dangerous attacking combination.
