Algerian Abdelhak Benchikha (Simba SC) and Senegal’s national team coach Aliou Cissé were also in the running for this award.
Morocco’s national coach Walid Regragui said on Friday in Salé that the objective of the Moroccan football team, which will face Niger and Tanzania on March 21 and 25 respectively, is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as quickly as possible.
“We’re lucky to be playing on home turf in these two games, which won’t be easy. Our opponents will certainly be making things harder, but we are well prepared for that,” Regragui stated during a press conference at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmora (suburb of Salé).
The kick-off for these two games, which are part of Matchday 5 and Matchday 6 (Group E) of the World Cup qualifiers, is scheduled for 9.30 p.m. at the Stade d’Honneur in Oujda.
“The team’s margin for improvement is increasing. We still have ten days to evolve. The most important thing is to win,” he continued.
According to Regragui, the national team is “lucky to have players with dual nationalities opting for Morocco, much earlier than before”, stating that the files of these selectable players are taken in hand by himself and by the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
In this sense, he pointed out that the young Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouadi (17) is one of football’s great future players. “We’ll be delighted if he opts for Morocco”, he said.
The offer stands for RC Lens player Neil El Aynaoui as well, according to Regragui. “I need players who are 100% committed and who want to earn their place,” he insisted.
As for Athletic Bilbao striker Maroan Sanadi, Regragui said he is on the shortlist. “He’s new to La Liga, but he needs to perform and score goals. The striker position is key in the national team,” he mentioned.
“There’s a lot of competition and a lot of choice. This new situation obliges us to eliminate some good players”, he regretted, pointing out that the new players called up are selected on the basis of their performance and their ability to integrate the group.
Concerning the Moroccan defense’s central axis, Regragui assured us that the national team has no urgent problems in this position.
As for Hakim Ziyech, Regragui explains, “he’s a player who has given a lot to the national team. He’s a talented player. We hope to see him at the top of his game”.
Meanwhile, Walid Regragui was full of praise for Niger coach Badou Zaki. “He’s a great man and a legend of Moroccan football who has an incredible asset to the national game”, he said, noting that it was ‘a source of pride to see two Moroccan coaches playing in a World Cup qualifier’.
“In the history of the national team, we’ve never had two such great goalkeepers as Yassine Bounou et Munir Mohamedi.(…) But Yassine has been the No.1 choice since I joined the national team. Munir is the second N.1 who also deserves his spot”, he maintained.
In previous World Cup-2026 qualifiers, the Atlas Lions beat Tanzania (2-0), Zambia (2-1) and Congo (6-0).
Morocco currently top their group with 9 points, ahead of Niger and Tanzania, who are tied at 2nd place with 6 points. Zambia are fourth with 4 points.
Morocco’s national football head coach Walid Regragui unveiled on Friday the 26-man squad selected for the next two matches against Niger and Tanzania respectively, on March 21 and 25 at the Stade d’Honneur in Oujda, as part of the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Morocco tops Group E of these qualifiers with 9 points.
– The squad is as follows:
— Goalkeepers: Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane), Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal FC/Saudi Arabia), El Mehdi Benabid (Wydad Casablanca).
— Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris SG/France), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United/England), Nayef Aguerd (Real Sociedad/Spain), Abdelkabir Abqar (Deportivo Alaves/Spain), Jamal Harkass (Wydad Casablanca), Jawad El Yamiq (Al Wehda FC/Saudi Arabia), Omar El Hilali (Barcelona/Spain), Adam Aznou (Real Valladolid/Spain).
— Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat (Fenerbahçe/Turkey), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Bilal El Khannous (Leicester City/England), Oussama Targhalline (Feynoord Rotterdam/Netherlands), Azzeddine Ounahi (Panathinaikos/Greece), Bilal Nadir (Olympique Marseille/France).
— Forwards: Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid/Spain), Chemsdine Talbi (Club Bruges/Belgium), Hamza Igamane (Glasgow Rangers/Scotland), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain/UAE), Youssef En-nesyri (Fenerbahçe/Türkiye), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis/Spain), Eliesse Ben Seghir (AS Monaco/France), Osame Sahraoui (Lille/France), Amine Adli (Bayer Leverkusen/Germany).
“Brahim Díaz, the lethal weapon of Morocco and Real Madrid, is making a strong impression,” the Confederation of African Football (CAF) boasts.
Commenting on the Atlas Lion’s brilliant performance for Real Madrid against Atletico in the first leg of the last 16 of the European Champions League on Tuesday, CAF writes: “Already invaluable with Los Blancos this season, the Moroccan international struck again (…) against Los Colchoneros”.
“His decisive goal gave Los Merengue a 2-1 victory, confirming his growing role in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad,” the African football body writes on its official website.
The 25-year-old continues to showcase polished form ahead of the Club World Cup, where he could be a major asset for Real, the same source adds.
Furthermore, CAF looks back on Díaz’s remarkable feats with the Moroccan national team. “Right from his first appearances for the Atlas Lions, he enforced his technical touch and his flair for goals”, the post points out.
“With Real Madrid seeking another world title and Morocco’s ambitions on home soil, Brahim Díaz could be one of the major players in international soccer. The year 2025 could well be that of his ordination”, CAF concludes.
Morocco will face Niger on March 21 and Tanzania on March 25 at the Complexe d’Honneur in Oujda as part of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) announced on Thursday.
Both matches, part of Group E qualifying, are set to kick off at 9:30 p.m. (local time), the federation said in a press release.
The games mark Morocco’s fifth and sixth fixtures in the group stage as the Atlas Lions continue their bid for a place at the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Morocco’s U-20 football team has been drawn in Group B of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), following Thursday’s draw in Cairo.
The North African side, crowned continental champions in 1997, will face Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa in the group stage of the tournament, which runs from April 26 to May 18 in Côte d’Ivoire.
Host nation Côte d’Ivoire will compete in Group A alongside DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, and a second team from the Central African Football Federations’ Union (UNIFFAC).
Defending champions Senegal headline Group C, where they will meet Zambia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone.
The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals, with the tournament following a knockout format from that stage onward.
The four semi-finalists will secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, scheduled for Sept. 27 to Oct. 19, 2025.
Morocco finishes the year 2024 ranked 14th in the world in the FIFA rankings, published on Thursday, unchanged from November.
The Atlas Lions remain the top team in Africa with 1,688.18 points, ahead of Senegal, which holds 17th place globally with 1,637.25 points.
The national football team also retains its position as the top team in the Arab world. Egypt is in second place (33rd globally) with 1,513.48 points.
Globally, there are few changes to report in the final World Rankings of the year. Argentina remains in first place, followed by France and Spain.
Angola, which played the most matches in 2024 (21), can boast of achieving the best progress of the year, climbing 32 places to 85th compared to 2023.
