On CNN, Walid Regragui Highlights Atlas Lions’ Ambitions at Africa Cup of Nations

2024-01-28

Washington – Morocco’s national football team head coach, Walid Regragui, highlighted, in an interview broadcast by CNN, the ambitions of the Atlas Lions at the Africa Cup of Nations, noting that the team will do its best to win the tournament.

Winning the Africa Cup of Nations “is very hard” but the players “will do their best” to claim the title and make the Moroccan people happy again, said the head coach of Morocco, which according to the US news channel is now part of the “elite” of world football after the historic performance achieved at the last World Cup.

“More than a year after a fairytale performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, all eyes are still on Morocco’s national football team and its head coach Walid Regragui,” CNN pointed out.

“And to up the stakes even more, they are one of the favorites to win this latest edition of the Africa Cup of Nations,” CNN added during this interview carried out at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé.

According to Regragui, Morocco has “important goals” during this CAN. “In this training center [Mohammed VI Football Complex] there is a photograph of the national team which were the last winners of the African Cup in 1976. Every day when the players come here, they look at the photo and get inspired. My goal as a coach is not to remove this photo but it is to put a new photo of the next winners here,” Morocco’s head coach stressed.

The Atlas Lions head coach, who noted that Morocco must regularly qualify for the World Cup, did not rule out the possibility that an African team would win the trophy one day.

Regarding his personal achievements, Africa’s “Coach of the Year” said that “these are not things I’m very interested in”. “What interests me most is my team,” he underlined.

“Today many individual trophies are awarded, either CAF, Ballon d’Or or FIFA Awards. It is nice to see Africans like myself at these awards, because it enhances the continent, and most of all, it enhances the Moroccan football landscape,” Regragui said.

On Tuesday, Morocco will take on South Africa in the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.

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Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi Upbeat About His AFCON 2025 Participation, Canal+ Reports

Morocco international Achraf Hakimi, currently sidelined with an ankle injury, said he was optimistic about returning to the pitch at the start of the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Canal+ reported.

Morocco’s team captain, recently crowned Best African Player of the Year at the CAF Awards 2025, shared encouraging news about his condition, expressing his hope to take part in the Atlas Lions’ opening AFCON match, the French channel reported.

“That’s good news, and it’s very impressive. He shows tremendous energy and the determination to recover 100%,” said a journalist from the channel who spoke with the PSG right-back. The journalist added that Hakimi will still need to wear his orthopedic boots for at least another ten days.

“The player thanked warmly the team surrounding him, which is a steady one. Here lies the secret of the success,” said the same source.

Highly prolific, Achraf Hakimi has built an impressive record, winning the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid, the German Super Cup with Borussia Dortmund, as well as the Italian championship with Inter Milan.

Ahead of the upcoming AFCON, which will be held in Morocco, the Atlas Lions will face the Comoros, Mali, and Zambia in the group stage on December 21, 26, and 29, respectively.

Morocco’s National Football Team Beats Mozambique in Friendly (1-0)

The Moroccan national football team won 1-0 against Mozambique in a friendly match played Friday evening at the Grand Stade de Tangier.

The only goal of the match was scored by midfielder Azzedine Ounahi in the 7th minute of the first half.

The Moroccan team will face its Ugandan counterpart in the second friendly match scheduled during this international break, on Tuesday at the Grand Stade de Tangier.

These two friendly matches are part of the national team’s preparations for its participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, which Morocco will host from December 21 to January 18.

CAF Awards 2025: Moroccan Othmane Maamaa Named Best Young Player of the Year

Moroccan Watford forward Othmane Maamaa won the Best Young Player of the Year award during the CAF Awards ceremony, held Wednesday in Rabat.

Maamaa had previously been named Best Player at the U20 World Cup held last October in Chile, which was won by the Atlas Lion Cubs.

CAF Awards: Moroccan Yassine Bounou Named Best Goalkeeper of 2025

The Moroccan national team goalkeeper and Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) player, Yassine Bounou, was named Africa’s Best Goalkeeper for 2025 during the CAF Awards ceremony held Wednesday in Rabat.

Recognized for his outstanding performances with the Atlas Lions, Bounou was also selected in the FIFA Club World Cup Best XI, held last summer in the United States.

CAF Awards 2025: Moroccan International Achraf Hakimi Named African Player of the Year

Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi was named African Player of the Year at the CAF Awards 2025 ceremony, held Wednesday evening in Rabat.

In 2025, Hakimi won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Ligue 1, the French Cup, the Trophée des Champions, and the UEFA Super Cup.

He was also a key figure in the remarkable qualification of the Atlas Lions for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Liverpool forward, and Nigerian Victor Osimhen, Galatasaray striker, were also contenders for the African Player of the Year award.

The award was presented to Hakimi by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Morocco’s Head Coach Unveils 27-Man Squad for Mozambique, Uganda Friendlies

Morocco’s national head coach Walid Regragui unveiled the 27-player squad on Friday to take part in the upcoming friendly games against Mozambique and Uganda.

The list features the return of Romain Saïss and strikers Soufiane Rahimi and Sofiane Diop, the first call-up for PSV Eindhoven’s Anass Salah-Eddine, and the absence of Achraf Hakimi due to injury.

The Atlas Lions will play two friendly fixtures against Mozambique and Uganda on November 14 and 18, respectively, at the Grand Stade de Tanger (8 p.m.), as part of their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Morocco will play in Group A of the AFCON, to be held from December 21 to January 18, alongside Comoros, Mali, and Zambia.

Here follows the list of players called up:

– Goalkeepers: Mounir El Kajoui (Renaissance Berkane), Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal/Saudi Arabia), Mehdi Lahrar (Raja Casablanca)

– Defenders: Romain Saïss (Al-Sadd/Qatar), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United/England), Nayef Aguered (Marseille/France), Adam Masina (Torino/Italy), Jawad El Yamiq (Al-najma/Saudi Arabia), Mohamed Chibi (Pyramids/Egypt), Youssef Belammari (Raja Casablanca), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands).

– Midfielders: Azeddine Ounahi (Girona/Spain), Bilal El Khannous (Stuttgart/Germany), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Oussama Targhaline (Feynoord/Netherlands), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis/Spain), Neil El Ainaoui (AS Roma/Italy), Eliesse Ben Seghir (Leverkusen/Germany).

– Forwards: Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid/Spain), Chemsddine Talbi (Sunderland/England), Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbache/Turkey), Hamza Igamane (Lille/France), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos/Greece), Ilias Akhomach (Villareal/Spain), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis/Spain), Sofiane Diop (Nice/France), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain FC/United Arab Emirates).

Monday 01 December 2025