Morocco coach, Walid Regragui is optimistic that the Atlas Lions can win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after defeating Canada in their final Group F game and qualifying to clash with Spain in the Round of 16.
Morocco beat Canada 2-1 on Thursday, December 1 at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.
Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech scored the first goal of the game in the fourth minute and Youssef En-Nesyri doubled the lead 19 minutes later.
Canada got a consolatory goal towards the end of the first half after Nayef Aguerd directed the ball into his goalie’s net.
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In the post-match conference, a confident Regragui said his team could win the 2022 World Cup title.
Walid Regragui celebrates a win with the Atlas Lions in Qatar
“We set ourselves an objective to give everything we have and get out of the group stages,” BBC Sport quoted Regragui as saying.
“After that, why not? Aim for the sky. We need to change our mentality and we will be a difficult team to beat.
“Why not dream about winning that trophy? As African teams, we need to set this objective.”
The Atlas Lions were first in Group F after accumulating seven points from three games.
Morocco will face Spain in the round of 16 of Qatar 2022 on Tuesday, December 6 at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
This is Morocco’s second Round of 16 feat at the FIFA World Cup – their best performance so far. They first reached this stage at the Mexico ’86 edition.
Regragui who played 45 times for Morocco as a right-back, now believes he can lead the Atlas Lions to a historic World Cup crown in their sixth appearance in the tournament.
By Toju Sote
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COMMENTS
Spain is a very difficult opposition but not indispensable,no team is.
Meanwhile,one of the major discoveries in this tournament is,the superpowers are not unbeatable the usual whipping boys have closed down on them,it’s no longer business as usual.Football development has reached every continent in the world especially serious countries that invested hugely in their leagues with world class facilities,structures and organisation.What this mean is a player in Japanese or Tunisian league is playing at same level as ones in Europe with same training facilities,coaching ect.So very soon players outside Europe will be considered for a national invitation,things are changing quickly Nigeria has to move with the times because we are not moving at all.
I like your ambitions though.You’re in it to win it otherwise I don’t see the point.
Good-luck the atlas lions.
Well said at greentuff.I’m really amazing how the small teams have closed the gap between them and the big teams..Especially Asian countries. Unfortunately there is no hope for Nigeria to follow the trend because the present crop of politician are so callous, wayward , indiscipline and self-centered towards the nation. If the Military can take over temporarily ,and senitise the nation before handing to a new and different set of leaders who are not street guys like the present set then something spectacular can happen otherwise Nigeria will continue to sink.