One of the most eagerly-anticipated groups at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar is Group F.
It features four very capable nations that will all be looking to make a serious run in Western Asia.
Croatia, Canada and Belgium are three of the most exciting teams at this year’s tournament but today we are previewing another potential surprise package, Morocco.
The Atlas Lions start their campaign against 2018 runners-up Croatia in around a month’s time, and if they get a positive result in their opener, the African side will believe they can make the knockout stage.
Their squad has many English and European-based players and it’s up to head coach Walid Regragui to get the best out of them.
Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech and captain Roman Saiss are just a few of the players that will want to leave a big mark in Qatar.
Qualification path
Morocco were handed a group with Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sudan in the first stage of qualifying from the African section.
They won the group comfortably, with six wins out of six, and an unbelievable goal difference of +19 after scoring 20 goals and conceding just one.
The Atlas Lions started with a 2-0 win over Sudan before thumping Guinea-Bissau on two separate occasions to put themselves on the brink of the final qualifying round.
A 4-1 win and a 3-0 victory over Guinea added to another comprehensive win against Sudan to set up a final qualifier against DR Congo.
The tie was played over two legs, and it got off to the worst possible start for Regragui’s side.
Brentford forward Yoane Wissa put DR Congo in front but a late equaliser from Tarik Tissoudali brought the tie level.
The Moroccans sealed their place at the World Cup in some style by thrashing their opponents 4-1 in the second leg to win 5-2 on aggregate.
Azzedine Ounahi scored twice, with Tissoudali and Hakimi also getting in on the act to take the African nation to the sixth World Cup in their history.
Historical performance
The African nation’s best display at a World Cup came in Mexico in 1986. The Atlas Lions were drawn against England, Portugal and Poland in Group F.
Consecutive 0-0 draws against Poland and England meant they got off to a steady start before they saw off Portugal 3-1 to seal their place as group winners.
A double from Abderrazak Khairi and a further goal courtesy of Abdelkrim Merry saw Jose Faria’s side through to the last 16.
Morocco were handed a nightmare draw in the first knockout round as they faced West Germany in Monterrey.
A late goal by one of the game’s all-time greats, Lothar Matthaus, knocked the Moroccans out, but if they are able to replicate that showing in Qatar, it will be some performance.
They have made four other World Cup appearances in their history at Mexico 1970, USA 1994, France 1998, and Russia 2018.
In Russia, they finished bottom in a tough group that included Spain, Portugal and Iran.
The biggest trophy that Morocco have won has to be the 1976 African Cup of Nations in Ethiopia.
There was no final during the tournament but two round-robin phases with the decisive result being a 1-1 draw with Guinea.
Both teams had beaten Egypt, while Morocco had won against Nigeria and Guinea drew against that same opponent.
It set up a decider of sorts, and the draw was enough to seal the title, which is still the biggest piece of silverware won in the country’s footballing history.
Player to watch
Morocco have a number of players who are looking to make a big impact this winter, but there is one name that stands out.
PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi is one of the best full-backs in the world and regularly impresses for the French side in the Champions League.
The 23-year-old is a quick attacking full-back, who is often a dangerous outlet for whatever side he plays in as he has an impressive knack for creating goals from the right side.
The powerful defender has three goals in just 13 appearances for his national team during 2022, and there’s every chance he can still add to his tally come late November.
He may not have Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to provide for at international level, but that is unlikely to make much of a difference to Hakimi’s performances, and you can expect him to be one of the stars of the group stage.
Expected line-up
Bounou; Hakimi, Dari, Saiss, Mazraoui; Harit, Amrabat, Ounahi; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal
Biggest talking point
Former manager Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked in August, following a disagreement with the president over how the team should move forward.
Halilhodzic fell out with star player Hakim Ziyech after he felt that the Chelsea winger feigned injury.
In response, Ziyech refused to represent his country for the qualifier against DR Congo, before he was brought back into the fold after the former boss was sacked.
Walid Regragui is the new man at the helm, and having the 29-year-old on board and playing well is vital to the African nation’s chances in Qatar.
A lot of eyes will be on the winger, not just because of his undoubted ability, but due to the fact he plays in the Premier League, where he has struggled to live up to the expectations from his time in Holland.
Tournament prediction
If Morocco are able to make it out of the group, you would have to say it’s been a successful tournament for them.
They have been dealt a difficult hand as Croatia and Belgium have frequently made it to the latter stages of recent major tournaments.
Add to that, Canada, who some are saying could be potential dark horse this winter, and it is looking like an extremely tough ask for the Moroccans.
With that in mind, a group stage exit is the most likely scenario for the Atlas Lions but it’s far from a foregone conclusion.