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

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.

“These are matches decided by mental strength and fine margins. It’s a wonderful gift for the Moroccan public,” Regragui said at the post-match press conference following the semi-final, which Morocco won on penalties (4-2) after a goalless draw at the end of extra time.

To win titles, Regragui stressed, a strong mindset is required, not just talented players, while praising the performances of Moroccan football in recent years.

On this occasion, the national coach also expressed his sincere thanks to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the continuous support the Sovereign provides to the national team and for the development of football in the Kingdom.

“We faced a solid, well-organized team. We needed a lot of energy and must recover as quickly as possible,” he added, noting that the most important thing is that Morocco have reached the AFCON final, 22 years after their last appearance in 2004 against Tunisia.

“We went through difficult moments. We must stay positive and focused in order to win this title together,” Regragui continued, adding that preparations will begin on Thursday ahead of the final against Senegal, scheduled for the 18th of this month in Rabat.

In this context, the national coach praised the work of the Atlas Lions’ medical staff, describing it as “one of the best in the world.” “Today’s victory also belongs to the entire staff. It is Morocco’s victory,” he underlined.

“Youssef En-Nesyri volunteered to take the final penalty. That shows the personality of this great player, who has given so much to the Moroccan team,” he said, noting that the players form a “close-knit group.”

Sunday’s match will be very important for the history of Moroccan football, Regragui added, stressing that the national team must be consistent in reaching the latter stages of major tournaments.

For his part, Yassine Bounou, named Man of the Match, thanked the fans for their unwavering support of the Atlas Lions during this difficult encounter.

“The love shown by the fans toward the national team players pushes us to make even greater efforts,” he said, noting that Morocco faced a “very strong Nigerian team.”

“We prepared well for this match. I thank all the players. We will recover mentally and physically over the next three days so that we can deliver a strong performance in the final,” Bounou concluded.

In the other semifinal, played earlier in the afternoon at the Grand Stade de Tanger, Senegal edged past Egypt with a 1–0 victory.

Morocco’s goals were scored by Brahim Díaz in the 26th minute and Ismael Saibari in the 74th.

Morocco’s last trial to reach the final will be against the winner of the clash between Nigeria and Algeria scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. local time.

Díaz is also the only player in the past 57 years to have found the net in the first five matches of a single edition. Moreover, he has become just the second player to score against five different nations in the same tournament, after Egypt’s Gedo in 2010.

With these never-before-matched performances, the Real Madrid player confirms his status as a crucial player for the Moroccan national team and the leader of the Atlas Lions’ attack.

Having scored against Comoros, Mali, Zambia, Tanzania and Cameroon, Brahim Díaz, twice named Man of the Match, is enjoying an outstanding AFCON and has established himself as a serious contender for the tournament’s Best Player award.

“This is a continental clash. Whether in the AFCON or the World Cup, Cameroon has always been a major nation representing Africa. We hope to show a strong face of African football,” Regragui said during the pre-match press conference.

“At this stage of the competition, confidence and mentality are crucial. Even the smallest mistake can be costly,” he warned, noting that the midfield battle will be particularly important.

“Morocco has won its recent matches against Cameroon. As a player, I’ve always had success against Cameroon,” he added, pointing out that the Cameroonians are highly motivated to go far in this tournament after missing out on qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

On another note, the national coach acknowledged that pressure is always present. “The players feel it. We have to take responsibility. What matters most is that the public continues to support us. We have the humility to believe that we can win this CAN,” he said. “We are still in the same mindset and trust what we are doing.”

“Our mentality will be very important,” the national coach added, highlighting the quality of midfield players such as Bilal El Khannous, Ismael Saibari, and Neil El Ainaoui.

Regarding the Atlas Lions’ injury situation, Regragui announced that the team has recovered striker Hamza Igamane, who is back from injury and now 100% fit.

As for Sofyane Amrabat, the coach indicated that the midfielder is still dealing with an ankle injury. “The medical staff is doing everything possible to get him back quickly,” he said.

For his part, Hamza Igamane, he noted that the match against Cameroon will not be easy. “I thank the national team’s medical staff for helping me recover. Now 100% fit, I am at the coach’s disposal. We are one team. Whether I start or not doesn’t matter. What counts is that we reach the semifinals.”

The Morocco vs. Cameroon match will take place on Friday at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat at 8:00 p.m.

Cameroon qualified for the CAN quarterfinals by defeating South Africa (2-1). Meanwhile, Morocco secured its quarterfinal spot after overcoming Tanzania (1-0).