Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has admitted his disappointment after the Atlas Lions’ FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final defeat to France, www.aclsports.com reports.
The 2022 semifinalists suffered another 2-0 defeat to France, with the same scoreline as their meeting at the previous World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking following the defeat, Ouahbi praised his players for their efforts but admitted his side struggled against France’s quality, especially in the first half. He, however, insisted the team can use the experience to grow stronger.
“We are very disappointed. We wanted to continue this journey,” Ouahbi told reporters.
“The first half was very complicated. France were very good on the ball. They caused us a lot of problems on the wings with their players, and also through the centre. When we had possession, our transitions were not effective enough, and we needed to run more. They were able to settle into a comfortable rhythm.
“But we have to recognise that France are a great team with excellent players. They could have scored earlier. They were very dangerous in transition. We lacked ideas and freshness when we had the ball to create more. We have to accept this defeat,” he added.
The 49-year-old tactician refused to use injuries as an excuse for Morocco’s elimination, insisting that the squad must continue to develop.
“I don’t want to focus too much on the injured players. This happens with every national team. Some players cannot play every match. We have a young team, and we want to continue growing.”
Looking ahead, Ouahbi said Morocco’s immediate focus will be on the Africa Cup of Nations before turning attention towards the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
“First of all, there is the AFCON. We want to arrive in 2030 in the best possible condition, but we need to prepare step by step. First, we have to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations and then try to win it.”
He also believes Morocco can continue creating memories and challenging for trophies in the future.
“I hope that despite their disappointment, they can see that we have a team capable of creating dreams in the future and winning trophies. We are on the right path.”
Reflecting on his short time in charge, Ouahbi said he was proud of the progress made since taking over and how quickly the players embraced his ideas.
“I am very proud of what we have achieved since March. With the staff, we had very clear ideas about how we wanted the team to play.
“I did not expect us to go this far, not only in terms of results but also in terms of the quality of our performances. I was pleasantly surprised by the speed at which my players went on board this project.”
On the difference between success at youth level and senior international football, following Morocco’s FIFA U-20 World Cup triumph, Ouahbi said preparation and experience at the highest level remain crucial.
“When you are not used to facing these types of teams and you are not prepared for the demands of a World Cup, you can exit the competition very quickly.
“You have to be more focused and more concentrated when you play a World Cup. As a head coach, together with my staff, we have learned a great deal from facing extraordinary teams and working against high-quality coaches. These experiences allow us to become stronger and continue improving,” he concluded.
