The Atlas Lions made history on Saturday when they became the first African side to reach the World Cup semi final.
This Moroccan side have proven to be a strong contender with their laudable and exciting performances in this year’s edition of FIFA World Cup.
Going to the semi final with the best state of mind, they will be looking forward to becoming the first African team to play in a World cup final.
So far, they have beaten powerful teams such as Belgium, Spain, and now Portugal.
The teams that this African side have floored were considered favourite to lift the trophy at the start of the tournament.
Achraf Hakimi from Morocco will now meet his club mate Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday to fight for the final spot.
Ikeja Bird looks at three reasons why the Moroccan team maybe the next world cup champions:
Formidable Defense
Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui are the most prominent names at the back for the Atlas Lions. Their defense has been so impressive and decisive that opponents have found them hard to crack.
So far, the Morocans have only conceded one goal against Canada despite playing three of the best teams in Europe.
Against Portugal on Saturday, they scored at 42 minutes and defended the goal till the final whistle.
Fantastic Pair of Hands
Beyond the unrivaled strong back is Moroccan goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou who has made many key saves in this tournament to make sure that his side stays in the game.
He was instrumental to the Atlas Lions win against Spain which was determined by a penalty shoot out.
He also made some fantastic saves against Portugal denying both Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo a clear chance to level.
Unity and Tactical Mastery
Walid Regragui’s cohesive team has projected rare unity on the pitch. It is easy to see the level of understanding among the team. Their unity had made it possible for them to perfect Regragui’s tactical mastery. The fans have also been very supportive seeing that they are not just the only African side still waxing strong but also a face of hope for the Arabian world.
