World Cup 2026: Mohamed Ouahbi proud of Morocco despite quarter-final exit to France

Morocco’s World Cup run ended in pain, but Mohamed Ouahbi still left the pitch proud of his team’s effort after a 2-0 quarter-final loss to France on Thursday night.

He said the result hurt because the squad wanted more, yet he insisted the campaign would not be erased by one defeat.

"We are very disappointed because we were aiming for more, but we have to accept this result. We will not let this defeat discourage us, and we will continue to work," he said

Ouahbi explained that Morocco did not begin the match with a plan to sit deep. In his view, France’s control of the ball, quick combinations, and attacks down the flanks forced Morocco backward for long spells.

He also admitted that the team struggled to build play in the first half, especially when trying to break out through transitions.

"It is true that we faced difficulties in getting the ball out during attacking transitions in the first half, and this was the biggest problem for us, but things improved a lot in the second half despite the participation of the same players; and it was important to explain to the players the need to make a greater effort, move off the ball, and make runs that allow us to stretch the opponent’s lines, so that we can get the ball out.

The coach said the second half was better, even though the same players stayed on the field. He stressed that Morocco must keep working, widen its player pool, and avoid hiding behind injuries as an excuse.

Ouahbi added that the team now needs rest before September’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and said he still believes Morocco’s fighting spirit can lead to trophies.

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