Morocco arrived at the 2026 World Cup amid serious doubts about their competitiveness. After parting ways with Walid Regragui and losing stars such as Ez Abde, they appeared to have lost their status as one of the tournament’s favorites. Nevertheless, they managed to defeat Canada, advancing to the quarterfinals to face France. Just before the match, they climbed the FIFA Men’s World Ranking.
According to the FIFA Men’s World Ranking, Morocco are ranked 6th with 1803.99 points. Recognizing their strong form, they have gained one position, remaining among the best national teams of the world. Under Mohamed Ouahbi, they have keep their offensive brightness, emerging as the best scorers national teams. They are experiencing their best position in the ranking in their history, improving their competitiveness.
Despite their historic run, Mohamed Ouahbi’s team remain far behind France in the rankings. Didier Deschamps’s team sit in 1st place with 1925.86 points, having climbed two positions since the start of the tournament. As the best offensive national team, they are expected to shine in the scoring side, having Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé as their leaders. However, they can still have some defensive problems, emerging as the main issue to resolve.
Morocco also arrive in excellent form for their match against France. Not only have they been outstanding defensively, but they have also impressed in attack. Without Ez Abde on the pitch, they have turned to Brahim Díaz and Azzedine Ounahi as their attacking leaders, as Ismael Saibari will be absent through injury despite being one of the team’s biggest stars. They will need to take advantage of the pace of their full-backs to launch counterattacks.
Azzedine Ounahi #8 of Morocco celebrates with teammates.
Morocco’s strategy must first be solid on defense against France
Unlike their previous matches at the 2026 World Cup, Morocco face one of the highest-scoring teams in the world: France. While they also favor an attacking approach, they could suffer a heavy defeat if they maintain that strategy. With this in mind, head coach Mohamed Ouahbi could keep his lineup with only slight changes, while making structural adjustments to the team’s defensive setup.
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Morocco 2026 World Cup preview: Squad breakdown, key player, and tactical analysis
If Mohamed Ouahbi’s team manage to maintain a compact and deep defensive block, they could limit the space available to Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. While Michael Olise and Désiré Doué can look to create openings with their dribbling, Morocco have proven to be very difficult to break down defensively. Moreover, they could take advantage of France’s high press by hitting on the counterattack and creating dangerous chances.
Both defensively and offensively, Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui will be crucial. They will be responsible for containing the wingers while also providing the team’s first attacking outlet. Meanwhile, the intelligence of Brahim Díaz and Azzedine Ounahi could alsoprove decisive, helping Morocco control possession and distribute the ball efficiently. Nonetheless, their biggest challenge will be being clinical in front of goal.
