Morocco reached the semi-finals of the World Cup 2022 after their shock victories over Spain in the last-16 and Portugal in the quarter-finals – becoming the first African side to reach the semis of the World Cup.
Few football fans would have even predicted the North African nation stood much chance of making it out of their group, given it also contained European royalty in the form of Croatia and Belgium. Yet a series of stubborn and clinical displays carried Morocco through to a runners-up berth. Following a goalless draw with the former, the Atlas Lions stunned Belgium 2-0, before booking their spot in the last-16 with a win against Canada.
Their solid defensive displays (Morocco conceded just once in the group stage) has continued into the knockouts. Spain were held to a bore-draw across 120 minutes. Morocco were expected to crumble when the penalties began but, once again, they held their nerve. A 3-0 victory in the shootout sent them through to their first-ever World Cup quarter-final.
In the quarter-finals, a strong defensive display saw them overcome Portugal 1-0 to book their place in the final four. However, after creating history by becoming the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final, their dream came to an end with a 2-0 loss to France.
Nonetheless, Morocco are still aiming to achieve their highest finish possible in the third-place play-off against Croatia - succeed, and they'll go down as heroes among the majority of the continent.
The side's biggest weakness is, clearly, goals at the other end of the pitch. Despite their standout player being an attacker - Hakim Ziyech - they've managed a paltry five strikes across five matches, with two of those coming against a poor Canada side.
Morocco World Cup 2022 squad
Morocco World Cup 2022 squad: The final 26-man team
- GK: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla)
- GK: Munir El Kajoui (Al Wehda)
- GK: Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad Casablanca)
- DF: Nayef Aguerd (West Ham United)
- DF: Yahia Attiat Allah (Wydad Casablanca)
- DF: Badr Benoun (Qatar SC)
- DF: Achraf Dari (Stade Brest)
- DF: Jawad El Yamiq (Real Valladolid)
- DF: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain)
- DF: Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich)
- DF: Romain Saiss (Besiktas)
- MF: Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina)
- MF: Selim Amallah (Standard Liege)
- MF: Bilal El Khannouss (Racing Genk)
- MF: Yahya Jabrane (Wydad Casablanca)
- MF: Azzedine Ounahi (Angers)
- MF: Abdelhamid Sabiri (Sampdoria)
- FW: Zakaria Aboukhlal (Toulouse)
- FW: Soufiane Boufal (Angers)
- FW: Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers)
- FW: Walid Cheddira (Bari)
- FW: Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla)
- FW: Abde Ezzalzouli (Osasuna)
- FW: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al Ittihad)
- FW: Amine Harit (Olympique Marseille)
- FW: Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea)
Morocco results
Group stage:
Morocco 0-0 Croatia
Belgium 0-2 Morocco
Morocco 2-1 Canada
Last-16:
Morocco 0-0 Spain (Morocco 3-0 Spain on penalties)
Quarter-finals:
Morocco 1-0 Portugal
Semi-finals
France 2-0 Morocco
Morocco top scorers
Morocco top scorers
Morocco's World Cup top scorers:
Two goals - Youssef En-Nesyri
One goal - Hakim Ziyech, Romain Saiss, Zakaria Aboukhlal
Morocco yellow cards
Morocco yellow cards
Here are Morocco's World Cup 2022 yellow cards and suspensions going into the semi-final:
Suspended: Walid Cheddira
Yellow cards: Achraf Dari, Sofiane Boufal
Morocco manager
Who is Morocco's manager for the 2022 World Cup?
Walid Regragui is the prototypical new breed of African coach: young, media-trained, player-friendly and an ex-international with valuable playing experience in Europe. The 46-year-old, who clinched the CAF Champions League with Wydad in May, is a rising star; positive results at Qatar 2022 could eventually take him back to European football.
Morocco's star player
Who is Morocco's best player?
When representing his national team, Achraf Hakimi has licence to pop up all over the pitch and use that extra lung he is rumoured to have – he’s played as a left or right full-back and even on the wing at times. With scarce striking options, Morocco rely upon Hakimi – 24 in November but with 50 caps already – to create chance after chance.
How many players are Morocco allowed to take to the 2022 World Cup?
National managers were allowed to bring 26 players to last summer’s European Championship for the first time at a major tournament, as a special measure brought in due to the COVID-19 pandemic – while last year's Copa America allowed squads of 28 players.
Now it has been announced that 26-player squads will return for the Qatar World Cup, an expansion from the usual 23-man teams.
