For its eighth participation in the men’s Olympic football tournament, Morocco heads to Paris 2024 with a talented and experienced squad, inspired by their historic fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Despite the disappointment of the CAN in Côte d’Ivoire, the impact of the Qatari World Cup remains a source of inspiration for the Atlas Lion Cubs, the reigning African champions, who now believe anything is possible in football.
Coach Tarik Sektioui is cautious about his goals but has the necessary elements to make a splash in these games.
« Our first objective is to have a good participation and pass the first round. This is a dream for the whole team, and we will do everything to achieve it, » Sektioui said in early July in Salé, revealing his list.
« The Olympic national team deserves its place in the Paris Games, and our goal is to do better than previous participations, » he added.
In seven Olympic appearances, only the 1972 edition saw Morocco qualify for the second round.
To reach his declared and hidden goals, Sektioui has called up three players over 23 years old: Achraf Hakimi, Soufiane Rahimi, and Mounir El Kajoui, in addition to young talents who have gained experience with the A team.
Among the 22 players selected, five were part of the U23 African championship-winning team that secured qualification: Oussama El Azzouzi, Amir Richardson, Bilal El Khannouss, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, and Oussama Targhalline.
Mentally, the Atlas Lion Cubs arrive with a winning mindset, having qualified decisively for these Olympics after winning the U23 AFCON at home in style.
In preparation for this event, the Atlas Lion Cubs played several friendly matches to refine their skills and address their weaknesses. They recently defeated FC Villefranche Beaujolais 2-1 in a friendly.
In the Olympics, Morocco will compete in Group B with Argentina, Ukraine, and Iraq. Their first match will be against Argentina on July 24 at the Geoffroy Guichard Stadium in Saint-Étienne.
Sektioui believes that every team should be respected, and every match should be optimally managed. « All groups are tough at this stage of the competition, » he emphasized.
Beyond the immediate goal of « having a good participation and passing the first round, » as revealed by coach Sektioui, Morocco’s participation in Paris 2024 will shape the future of the national team, bridging the success of the 2022 World Cup and the upcoming 2025 AFCON.
