Morocco head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, has acknowledged that France were the superior side after the Atlas Lions bowed out of the FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 quarter-final defeat on Thursday.
France dominated much of the encounter, controlling possession and limiting Morocco’s attacking opportunities to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Despite the disappointment, Ouahbi commended his players for their effort while stressing that the team must critically evaluate the performance to continue developing.
“I told my players to keep their heads high because we gave our all and we gave our best,” Ouahbi said after the match.
“But we need to take stock of the situation. To progress, it is essential. We cannot just say that we are happy and proud of our performance. We need to move forward, be objective and assess the situation.”
The Moroccan coach admitted his side found it difficult to cope with France’s dominance, particularly in midfield and on the flanks, while struggling to make the most of possession.
“We are disappointed, but the first half was very difficult,” Ouahbi said. “France were very good on the ball. They had a lot of possession, caused us problems on the flanks and also through the centre.
“When we had the ball, our transitions were not good enough. We needed to run more and they ended up playing in their comfort zone.”
Ouahbi also conceded that France created the clearer opportunities and said Morocco lacked the creativity and sharpness needed to trouble one of the tournament’s strongest teams.
“We have to recognise that they are a great team,” he said. “They have excellent players and created the better scoring opportunities. We lacked ideas and freshness when we had possession. We have to accept this defeat.”
Looking ahead, the Morocco boss expressed confidence that his team can continue improving and eventually compete on equal terms with football’s elite, despite falling short against France once again after their 2022 World Cup semi-final defeat.
“It is clear that today France were stronger, but we are able to compete and improve even further,” he said. “Maybe in four years’ time we can eliminate them.”
Morocco will next look toward the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which they will co-host with Spain and Portugal, as they aim to build on their recent progress on the global stage.
Ouahbi also backed France’s ambitions of winning the tournament, although he avoided declaring them favourites for the title.
“They want to reach the final and win the trophy, and they have all the qualities,” he said. “Now they have to keep going in the next match. They will play either Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals. I hope it will be Belgium.”
