FIFA U-17 World Cup Team Profile: Morocco

The Morocco U-17 national team will be one of the strengths taken into account at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. (FIFA)

JAKARTA - Morocco, a new power from Africa. Morocco's young generation surprisingly reached the final in the 2023 U-17 Africa Cup which brought them to Indonesia to compete in the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Morocco's football is entering a new era. An era when The Atlas Lions became trending after reaching the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup.

No one predicts Hakim Ziyech et al can qualify from the group stage because Morocco competes with two elite teams, Croatia and Belgium plus Canada. But they were able to get through that round and Belgium had to be eliminated.

Likewise in the knockout round, Morocco succeeded in eliminating European, Spanish and Portuguese giants. Their move was finally stopped by France in the semifinals. In the race for a place when, Morocco had to admit Croatia's lead 2-1.

When Morocco skyrocketed in the World Cup, it was realized that the team was indeed inhabited by high-class players who seemed to be drowning in the club. Some of them are quite prominent like Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi.

But actually there are still Sofyan Amrabat, Youssef En-Nesyri and Noussair Mazraoui who play at Bayern Munich.

Success in Qatar, Morocco's football is equal to the elite African teams. Moreover, Morocco became the first team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup. It is not wrong that Ziyech et al became the inspiration of the juniors who strengthened the U-17 national team.

Even these Moroccan teenagers followed in the footsteps of their seniors by winning tickets to the 2023 U-17 World Cup. This is the second time Morocco have qualified for the finals.

Previously, The Atlas Lions junior had appeared in the 2013 U-17 World Cup. The team was driven by Amrabat, which is now a senior pillar.

Morocco got a ticket to the World Cup after reaching the semifinals of the 2013 U-17 Africa Cup which was held in their country.

The hosts' achievements were quite good because Morocco was able to qualify from the group stage. But they failed in the round of 16 after being defeated by Ivory Coast 2-1

But they always failed at the next World Cup until they finally qualified for the 2023 U-17 World Cup finals. The success of getting tickets to Indonesia after Morocco became runners-up in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Morocco became one of the surprising powers in competing in the Africa Cup of Nations. How not, Morocco went through the preliminary round in the deadly group because they competed with Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia.

They emerged as winners of Group B after picking two wins and one loss against Nigeria. Morocco and Nigeria both have six points, but Morocco are ahead on goal difference. However, both qualified for the quarter-finals.

Morocco's journey in the knockout round was not easy. But they managed to get rid of the Algerian hosts and then beat Mali on penalties in the semifinals.

Morocco actually almost grabbed the trophy against Senegal in the top match. Superior first, they conceded twice over the past 10 minutes.

Morocco seems to have transformed into a team that is not arbitrary. Moreover, the team is handled by a coach who is not arbitrary, Said Chiba.

Chiba has 40 caps in the Morocco national team and has played in Europe by strengthening French Ligue 1 club Nancy and then moving to Motherwell, a Scottish club.

After retiring, he had become an assistant coach at a number of senior clubs and national teams. Chiba was finally given the trust to nurture teenage players. The 53-year-old coach successfully presented a team capable of playing tactically and especially building a non-technical side of players. He helped the players how to overcome mental stress when competing in tournaments like the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Chiba has also succeeded in combining local players and those from Europe. The Moroccan football federation has indeed called on a number of players born in Europe.

They can actually play for other countries such as Adam Boubandar who received a call from the Italian U-17 national team. The reason is, he has Italian descent from the mother's side. But Boubandar chose the call of the Moroccan national team.

The presence of players like Boubandar who currently play for the Juventus junior team certainly gives the color of the Morocco U-17 national team.

With the physical and technical combination of talented young players, Morocco U-17 will be a competitor who can show off in Indonesia.