Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi acknowledged that France deserved their victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final match.
The Atlas Lions were defeated 2-0 by Didier Deschamps’ team at the Boston Stadium on Thursday evening.
Kylian Mbappe rebounded from a penalty miss in the first half to net his eighth goal of the tournament, later assisting Ousmane Dembele for his fifth, securing a semi-final spot against either Belgium or Spain.
Ouahbi Recognizes France's Dominance
Ouahbi admitted that his team encountered a strong rival.
“We have to acknowledge that we faced an excellent opponent. We struggled significantly in the first half, and [Yassine] Bounou’s penalty save helped us stay in the contest,” Ouahbi stated, as reported by FIFA.com.
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“We defended more effectively in the second half and were more composed in our possession. Ultimately, it was an individual moment of magic from [Kylian] Mbappe.
“It was a tough feeling, but we must continue to improve. We need greater depth on the bench when faced with injuries, absences, and fatigue, but naturally, we’re disappointed.”
Promising Future for Atlas Lions
Despite Morocco’s exit, Ouahbi remained hopeful about his team's trajectory, asserting that they have an encouraging future ahead.
“The future looks bright if we maintain this level, but that doesn’t imply we didn’t want to win today. We certainly aimed for victory today. We did everything within our power to achieve it, but we encountered a very tough opponent,” Ouahbi remarked.
“It’s disappointing, indeed, but we will keep striving for the future. We understand we represent more than just one nation. We represent the Moroccan people, along with many nations across Asia and Africa. Numerous individuals see themselves in this team, and we’ll continue to work hard to secure titles in the future.”
By Adeboye Amosu
