Morocco’s futsal national team coach, Hicham Dguig, stated on Tuesday in Casablanca that the national team delivered an honorable performance at the 2024 Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.
Speaking to the press upon the team’s arrival at Mohammed V International Airport after participating in the tournament held from September 14 to October 6 in Uzbekistan, Dguig emphasized that “the overall results are very positive. The team managed to maintain its global ranking while delivering a high-level performance.”
He explained, “According to our results, we will secure fifth or sixth place in this global event, which is significant for the upcoming World Cup group draw,” adding that this journey sparked immense enthusiasm among Moroccan fans, whose support boosted the players’ morale.
Dguig also highlighted that the team’s path was not easy, stating, “We had to overcome numerous challenges, especially injuries to several players, which weakened our squad by half.” He reminded everyone that Morocco faced top opponents like Iran, ranked fourth globally, in the round of 16, and Brazil, the world’s number one, in the quarter-finals.
He concluded, “Technically, we were prepared to face all these teams thanks to our good preparation and the friendly matches organized by the Federation.”
Sofiane Mesrar, the national team captain, echoed this sentiment, noting the difficulty of the match against Brazil, saying, “Facing the best team in the world in the quarter-finals wasn’t easy, but we gave it our all. Despite the numerous injuries, the coach managed to bring out the best in us.”
He added that the team would give its utmost effort in the next World Cup to win the title and make the Moroccan fans proud of their team.
It is worth noting that Morocco’s futsal national team journey ended in the quarter-finals following a 1-3 defeat to Brazil on Sunday in Bukhara. By reaching this stage, the team replicated its 2021 World Cup achievement in Lithuania.
