2026 World Cup Team Chronicle·Morocco: They are no longer a fairy tale, they are a team that others must seriously dismantle

Morocco is no longer a dark horse.

This sentence is very important.

In Qatar in 2022, they dragged Belgium, Spain, and Portugal all the way to their own pace. The game against Spain, 0-0 after 120 minutes, then a penalty shootout. Spain passed a lot of news, and after going around for a long time, I finally found that the area in front of the door seemed to be roped off by Moroccans. Ashraf's final penalty kick was as light as a joke, but it shattered the tension of the entire game.

Against Portugal, Ennesri jumped high and scored with a header. That ball was very Moroccan: simple, direct, like a stone suddenly falling from the sky. Ronaldo later came on as a substitute, Portugal was under siege, and Morocco held on. When the final whistle blew, the bench rushed into the field. That was not the end of a fairy tale. It was the first time African football reached the semi-finals of the World Cup.

But in 2026, Morocco can no longer enjoy the dark horse treatment.

Everyone will study them.

Study how Amrabat sweeps, study when Achraf moves forward, study Ziyech and Boufal's wide footwork, study Ennesri's take-off point in the penalty area. Whether you can still win after being studied is the real test for a strong team.

The chassis of this Moroccan is still very good.

Bunu is very stable on the goal line, and the central defender combination of Agold, Seth, and Shadi Riad can provide different physical conditions. Ashraf is the most important engine on the right. He is not just a full-back, but more like a highway from the backcourt to the frontcourt. Mazraoui can provide technique and adduction ability on the other side.

The key to the midfield is Amrabat.

He's not the kind of player who makes highlights look good, but it's someone Morocco needs the most. When the opponent wants to turn around in the middle, he bumps into it first; when the opponent wants to hit the second point, he steps on it first; when the game is about to end, he puts his body in the path of the ball first. Onasi has a different style. He dribbles the ball lightly and turns around quickly, as if he was making his way out of a narrow alley.

The frontcourt is now more layered.

Ennesri is still the fulcrum of the penalty area, Brahim Dias can provide more detailed foot processing, Abboud has a wing impact, and Rahimi can bring a more direct feeling in front of the goal. If Ziyech is in form, passing the ball with his left foot can still suddenly brighten the game.

I am optimistic that Morocco will continue to cause trouble, and I also think they have the strength to make the top eight.

But it is difficult to reach the semi-finals again.

The reason is not mental, nor defensive. The difficulty for Morocco is: when they can no longer rely solely on defensive counterattacks and emotional advantages, whether the positional battle is detailed enough. In 2022, many opponents underestimated them and took the initiative to press, giving them room to counterattack. 2026 won’t be that simple. More teams will be more patient, test first, and avoid being penetrated by Achraf's back and side counterattacks.

Morocco must have one more way to win.

They need to be able to create consistent chances when they have the ball. Brahim and Onahi have to connect the middle. Ashraf cannot solve the problem by long-distance sprint every time, and Ennesri cannot just wait for the cross. A truly mature Morocco should be able to not rush to retreat or pass long balls in the 60th minute of a 0-0 draw, but instead slowly advance the ball to the edge of the penalty area.

This step is difficult.

But if they do, Morocco won't just be "that impressive team in 2022" but a strong team that others will have to seriously dismantle.

My judgment on Morocco is: the top eight are good, and the top four need luck and on-the-spot efficiency.

They already have the toughness, the goalkeeper, the wingers, and the spirit. What we need to make up for now is that after being seen clearly by everyone, we can still play the game the way we want.

That is the second chapter after Dark Horse.

2026 Morocco list (organized by position)

Note: The following is the current team organized as of April 2026 based on official competitions and regular national team recruitment in the past two years. The final 26 people are subject to official registration.

• Goalkeepers: Yassin Bounu, Munir Mohammadi, Ahmed Tagnoti
• Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Ageld, Roman Saiss, Nusser Mazrawi, Shadi Riyad, Yahya Atiyat-Ara, Abdulkaber Abokar
• Midfielder: Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Onahi, Selim Amara, Bilal Elhannus, Amir Richardson, Ilyas Ben Seguir
• Forwards: Brahim Dias, Youssef Ennesri, Hakim Ziyech, Abd Ezarzuli, Sufian Rahimi, Ayoub Elkabi

If you also like to watch the World Cup from the perspective of characters and positions, you can play a game here: https://wordlecup.today/en/football/