Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak says winning the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations means more to her than any personal accolade as the Atlas Lionesses prepare to begin their campaign on home soil.
Speaking ahead of Morocco’s opening Group A clash against Kenya, the reigning CAF Women’s Player of the Year stressed that her focus is firmly on helping the hosts secure their first-ever WAFCON title.
“My goal is to give my best to the team,” Chebbak said.
“Individual accolades are nice, but what really matters are team trophies.”
The midfielder, who was crowned Africa’s best female footballer at the 2025 CAF Awards, will once again lead Morocco as captain in a tournament where expectations are high following the nation’s recent rise in women’s football.
Chebbak has established herself as one of the continent’s most influential players, combining leadership with an impressive goalscoring record on the biggest stage.
She is Morocco’s all-time leading scorer at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with eight goals, while the Atlas Lionesses have won five of the six WAFCON matches in which she has scored.
The only exception came in the 2024 final, when Morocco suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Nigeria despite Chebbak finding the back of the net.
Now, with Morocco hosting the tournament, the experienced midfielder is determined to go one step further and guide the Atlas Lionesses to their maiden continental crown.
Morocco begin their campaign against Kenya, with Chebbak expected to play a pivotal role as the hosts chase WAFCON glory in front of their home supporters.
