Marca Praises Morocco’s Hamza Igamane for Dazzling Rise

“I am driven by a strong determination to continue the work already started in order to build on these achievements and allow the Moroccan national team to keep shining,” Ouahbi said during a press conference held to present him officially at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.

Morocco has a solid foundation capable of competing with top national teams at major global events, particularly the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ouahbi noted.

In this regard, he indicated that his selections will primarily be based on players’ performances rather than their age or the league in which they play.

According to him, the most important aspect is selecting the most competitive players in order to build a “strong and balanced” team, adding that “his contract with Morocco is above all a moral one.”

On this occasion, the Moroccan national team coach introduced his first assistant, João Sacramento, noting that the other members of the technical staff will be announced at a later stage.

For his part, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, said that the choice of Mohamed Ouahbi was the result of “thorough deliberations.”

“We have prioritized continuity,” Lekjaa noted, adding that the trust placed in Moroccan executives eventually bears fruit.

In this regard, the FRMF president also highlighted the crucial role played by the federation’s technical department in the successes of Moroccan football.

During a press conference held at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, Lekjaa wished Ouahbi every success in his new role.

World champion with the Atlas Cubs (U20) in Chile, Ouahbi now takes charge of the senior national team just a few months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Also a finalist in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, the Moroccan coach will make his debut on the Morocco bench during two friendly matches the Atlas Lions will play against Ecuador national football team in Spain (March 27) and Paraguay national football team in France (March 31).

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Morocco has been drawn in Group C alongside Brazil national football team, Scotland national football team and Haiti national football team.

The first friendly match against Ecuador will be played at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid (9:15 p.m.), while the second (against Paraguay) is scheduled at the Bollaert-Delelis Stadium in Lens (8:00 p.m.), the FRMF said on its website.

These two matches are part of the Atlas Lions’ preparations for the final phase of the 23rd edition of the 2026 World Cup.

The next World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Morocco is in Group C, alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti.

On this occasion, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid was greeted by the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, the National Team coach, Walid Regragui, and the members of the National Team, before posing for a commemorative photo.

This reception reflects the High Benevolence with which His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, has continually surrounded the youth and supported their development through sports, and the particular interest the Sovereign attaches to this sector in general, and to football in particular.

His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, sent, immediately after the end of the final match between the national team and its Senegalese counterpart, a message of congratulations to the members of the National Team. In this message, the Sovereign emphasized that, “through this distinguished campaign, you have demonstrated that perseverance, dedication, and team spirit are the keys to achieving excellence” and “also shown the world what Moroccan and African youth can accomplish when they believe in their talents and abilities”.

“You also proved, through determination and your heroic and honorable performance, the importance of my strategic vision to invest in human capital and modernize the Kingdom’s infrastructure, which demonstrated their resilience and their world-class level of preparation ahead of the organization of the 2030 World Cup,” HM the King stated in His message.

They are goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who “delivered an outstanding campaign, conceding just two goals in seven matches,” and his teammates Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, and Brahim Diaz, who finished as the tournament’s top scorer, according to a press release from the African body.

The list is completed by four players from Senegal, namely Moussa Niakhaté, Pape Gueye, Idrissa Gueye, and Sadio Mané, in addition to Nigerians Calvin Bassey, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Osimhen.

The tournament’s Team of the Tournament was selected by the CAF TSG, which implemented a fully integrated evaluation model, initially remotely and then on-site throughout the competition, supported by live data platforms, multi-angle video feeds, and dedicated video analysts.

Despite losing in the final, AFCON host country, Morocco, can celebrate a return to the top 10 for the first time since April 1998, achieving its highest ranking ever, FIFA said in a statement.

The Atlas Lions now have 1,736.57 points, up 20.23. Their rise came at the expense of Croatia (11th, −1), which drops out of the top 10, as well as Belgium (9th, −1) and Germany (10th, −1).

The top of the ranking remains unchanged, with Spain (1st), Argentina, the reigning FIFA World Cup champion (2nd), and France (3rd) continuing to lead.

In Africa, Morocco leads, with Senegal (12th, +7) following. Nigeria (26th) and Cameroon (45th) made historic 12-place gains after the Africa Cup of Nations.

FIFA noted that CAF now has nine teams in the top 50, two more than at the end of 2025, while AFC and CONCACAF each lost a spot. UEFA dominates with 26 teams in the top 50, CONMEBOL has seven, and OFC remains unrepresented.