Algeria football legend Rabah Madjer has criticised Morocco’s tactical approach in their 2-0 defeat to France, arguing that the Atlas Lions were too cautious and allowed Les Bleus to seize control of their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final.
Morocco’s impressive campaign came to an end on Thursday as France progressed to the semi-finals, ending the Atlas Lions’ hopes of another historic World Cup run.
Madjer criticises Morocco’s approach
Speaking on MBC 1’s Our Club programme, Madjer said Morocco’s conservative start ultimately proved costly.
“Fear is what made the Moroccan national team retreat, and when I saw the way they started the match, I said it was a bad start.”
The former Algeria star believes Morocco’s defensive mindset handed France the initiative from the opening stages.
“When you start the match defensively, you give the French team a signal that you are afraid of them, which gives them the opportunity to control, attack and look for goals, and they found them in the second half.”
Madjer argued that Morocco should have approached the contest with the same confidence they displayed in earlier matches against Brazil and the Netherlands.
“The Moroccan team should not have been afraid. They should have imposed their personality on the match and played as they did against the Netherlands and Brazil, while acknowledging the strength of the French team, who were among the favourites to advance.”
He added that Morocco only began to attack with conviction after France had already taken command of the game.
“The Moroccan team only started to move in the second half, after the French team had the game in its hands and scored two goals, especially since France has two teams, one of which is the main team, and the reserve team is stronger than it.”
Questions over Morocco’s knockout run
Madjer also suggested Morocco’s Round of 32 victory over the Netherlands could easily have gone the other way.
“If the Moroccan national team had lost to the Netherlands, we wouldn’t be saying this now, but they managed to advance through penalty kicks.”
Remarks spark debate
Madjer’s comments have generated debate, with former Morocco head coach Rachid Taoussi and former Tunisia international Radhi Jaïdi reportedly defending the Atlas Lions’ campaign.
Both highlighted Morocco’s long-term development and tactical evolution as key reasons behind another impressive World Cup run.
Despite their quarter-final exit, Morocco finished as the only African and Arab nation to reach the last eight of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reinforcing their status as one of the continent’s leading football powers after following up their historic semi-final appearance in Qatar four years earlier.
