Morocco coach Walid Regragui has confirmed that his team will back France in Sunday’s 2022 World Cup final against Argentina. The Atlas Lions’ historic run came to an end in the semi-finals on Wednesday, when they were defeated 2-0 by France.
Morocco made history by becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals, and despite the defeat, Regragui praised his team’s performance. “We showed desire, played hard, and have given a good image of Morocco and of African football. We were representing our country and our continent. People already respected us, but I think they respect us more now,” he said, as quoted by Goal.
Acknowledging France’s quality, Regragui added: “Congratulations to France. I said before the match, they are a very good side and were well-placed to win the game. In spite of all the injuries we had and the tiredness, we pulled out all the stops, gave them everything, caused them problems, and that is already quite an achievement.”
He also emphasized Morocco’s commitment to continued progress: “You can’t win a World Cup with miracles. You need to win it through hard work, and that is what we will do—we will keep working.”
Morocco now turns its attention to the third-place playoff against Croatia on Saturday.
