FIFA World Cup 2026: No more underdogs, Morocco ready to take on top countries, says Ouahbi

Morocco are eager to put their underdog days behind them, coach Mohamed Ouahbi said on Friday as they prepared for a heavyweight match against Brazil in their World Cup opener at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

Morocco lit up the world stage in Qatar four years ago, becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals after eliminating Spain and Portugal.

This time, however, Ouahbi insists Morocco are not underdogs, with the pressure to perform increasing as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 tournament.

“(Brazil is) not afraid – we are not afraid either,” he told reporters through an interpreter. “We have entered a new dimension, we are much more respected now… we have to take responsibility for this and stay in it for the long haul.

“For now, if Morocco participates in a competition, it has to go for the (trophy).”

Ouahbi, who only took over three months ago, has had to navigate choppy waters ahead of the tournament, with Morocco losing starters Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli to injury. He said the rest of the squad was fit for the Group C match that will open the action in New York, New Jersey.

“We are not going to change our principles too much,” said Ouahbi, who previously coached the Moroccan U20 and U23 teams and told reporters he had read all of Brazilian manager Carlo Ancelotti’s books to get into the coach’s mind.

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«We no longer have to fear Brazil. We have our principles, our values, we know who we are playing for.»

The match is underlined by many as one of the most compelling matches in the group stages of the mammoth 48-team tournament, even as Brazil emerged bruised from a turbulent World Cup cycle.

“Some people say this is not the Brazil of the past,” Ouahbi said. “It is a prestigious competition – it is an honorable thing to start our journey with this competition.”

The team is led by Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi, who has recovered from a thigh injury suffered in April, and Morocco showed how to crack the code against the five-time World Cup winners after a stunning victory in their most recent meeting in a 2023 friendly.

«We know the quality of both teams. It is a very balanced match,» he told reporters. “There is no favorite team.”

Published on June 13, 2026