Moroccan football surprises the world

Morocco U20 team entered the final of the 2025 U20 World Cup taking place in Chile.

From 43rd place in the FIFA rankings in 2019, Morocco rose to 11th place in the world in September 2025, leading Africa from the end of 2022. This rise is the result of a long-term investment strategy in infrastructure, youth talent development and sports diplomacy , helping Morocco not only dominate Africa but also cause a global shock.

The latest peak is the historic journey of the U20 team at the U20 World Cup 2025 taking place in Chile, where the "Atlas Cubs" reached the final, affirming the strength of the young generation and continuing the legacy of the seniors.

On October 16, U20 Morocco defeated France, their "elder" opponent, to enter the final to face Argentina. After a decade of decline in the 2010s, Moroccan football is reaching new heights.

At the national team level, at the end of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Africa, Morocco was the only team to win all their matches. They scored 22 goals in the match and only conceded 2 goals.

The Atlas Lions not only completed their qualifying campaign with a perfect record, but also marked their 15th consecutive win, equaling the world record set by the Spanish team from June 2008 to June 2009.

Morocco's achievements far exceed what any African team has ever achieved.

Before Morocco, La Roja held the record for the longest winning streak in history (official matches only). Morocco's winning streak began in March 2023, shortly after they achieved a historic fourth place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - a tournament that completely changed the face of Moroccan football.

Since then, the "Atlas Lions" have remained unbeaten, with consecutive victories over big and small opponents, including key matches in the African qualifiers.

This success stems from many factors. In 2014, Fouzi Lekjaa took over as President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), and initiated a comprehensive strategy. They built the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé (an 18-hectare facility that combines sports, academics and medical training), expanded five other regional training centers in 2017, and mandated that clubs establish youth platforms to identify talent.

These investments have produced a “golden generation” of stars such as Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahçe) and Sofyan Amrabat (Fenerbahçe), many of whom came through local academies before shining in Europe. Morocco has also invested heavily in infrastructure (state-of-the-art stadiums ready for the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup), sports diplomacy (President Lekjaa joined the FIFA Council in 2021 - helping secure the 2030 World Cup bid), and the love of its fans.

These achievements also extend to futsal (top African team and dark horse in the futsal World Cup) and women's football (entered the round of 16 of the 2023 World Cup). At club level, Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca dominate the CAF Champions League (7 titles).

Source: https://znews.vn/bong-da-morocco-khien-ca-the-gioi-kinh-ngac-post1594410.html