Former Morocco international Karim El Ahmadi believes the Atlas Lions have undergone a significant transformation, evolving from a team known primarily for defensive resilience into one capable of dominating possession and dictating the tempo of matches.
Speaking after Morocco’s encouraging start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, El Ahmadi said the current generation has demonstrated a level of maturity and technical quality that marks a clear progression from the side that captured global attention by reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 tournament.
Morocco opened their World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Brazil before following it up with a 1-0 victory over Scotland.
Those results have left the Atlas Lions in a strong position heading into their final group-stage fixture and strengthened hopes of another deep run at the tournament.
According to El Ahmadi, the performances themselves have been just as encouraging as the results.
“The start Morocco have made, with the draw against Brazil and the victory over Scotland, reflects a different team in terms of maturity and identity,” El Ahmadi said.
“The players produced a very high level, especially during the first 25 minutes of the opening game,” he explained. “The team showed great organization and a clear ability to control the match.”
For many observers, Morocco’s success in Qatar four years ago was built on exceptional defensive discipline, collective commitment and devastating counterattacks. While those qualities remain important, El Ahmadi believes the current squad has added another dimension to its game.
He argues that Morocco are now more comfortable controlling possession and taking responsibility for shaping matches rather than simply reacting to opponents.
“Morocco no longer rely only on the defensive side or fighting spirit,” he said. “They have become a team that knows how to keep possession, build play and impose the rhythm, especially in midfield.”
The former midfielder highlighted the middle of the park as the team’s greatest strength. Morocco’s midfielders, he said, have shown an ability to operate effectively under pressure while maintaining control of the ball against strong opposition.
“The team can now create play through the middle and keep the ball under pressure,” El Ahmadi added. “It was not this strong in the past.”
That evolution has enabled Morocco to become more proactive, with greater emphasis on controlling matches and creating opportunities through sustained periods of possession.
Despite his praise, El Ahmadi believes there is still one aspect of Morocco’s game that requires improvement if they are to challenge the world’s elite nations.
He pointed to the team’s finishing, noting that the Atlas Lions created numerous opportunities against both Brazil and Scotland but failed to fully capitalise on them.
“Morocco created many chances against Brazil and Scotland,” he said. “But major teams such as France and Argentina know how to turn half-chances into goals.”
The former Feyenoord midfielder believes clinical finishing is often what separates contenders from champions at major tournaments.
“This is the decisive difference in competitions like these,” he added.
Morocco have scored only two goals across their opening two matches despite producing several dangerous attacking moves and enjoying lengthy spells of control.
As the tournament progresses and margins become increasingly fine, improving their efficiency in front of goal could prove decisive.
Should they continue on this trajectory, Morocco could once again emerge as one of Africa’s leading hopes at the 2026 World Cup.
