Morocco national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Morocco women's national football team.

Quick facts for kids
Morocco

Nickname(s)

أُسُودُ الأَطلَس
(The Atlas Lions)

Association

Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF)

Confederation

CAF (Africa)

Sub-confederation

UNAF (North Africa)

Head coach

Walid Regragui

Captain

Achraf Hakimi

Most caps

Noureddine Naybet (115)

Top scorer

Ahmed Faras (36)

Home stadium

Various

FIFA code

MAR

First colours

Second colours

FIFA ranking

Current

3 (7 February 2019)

Highest

10 (April 1998)

Lowest

95 (September 2010)

First international

Morocco 3–3 Iraq

(Beirut, Lebanon; 19 October 1957)

Biggest win

Morocco 13–1 Saudi Arabia

(Casablanca, Morocco; 6 September 1961)

Biggest defeat

Hungary 6–0 Morocco

(Tokyo, Japan; 11 October 1964)

World Cup

Appearances

7 (first in 1970)

Best result

Fourth place (2022)

Africa Cup of Nations

Appearances

20 (first in 1972)

Best result

Champions (1976)

Arab Cup

Appearances

4 (first in 1998)

Best result

Champions (2012)

African Nations Championship

Appearances

4 (first in 2014)

Best result

Champions (2018, 2020)

Medal record

Africa Cup of Nations

Gold	1976 Ethiopia
Silver	2004 Tunisia
Bronze	1980 Nigeria
Arab Cup
Gold	2012 Saudi Arabia
Bronze	2002 Kuwait
African Nations Championship
Gold	2018 Morocco
Gold	2020 Cameroon
Mediterranean Games
Gold	1983 Casablanca
Arab Games
Gold	1961 Casablanca
Gold	1976 Damascus
Silver	1985 Rabat

The Morocco national football team is a famous football team from Morocco. They are often called the Atlas Lions. This team plays for Morocco in international men's football games. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation manages the team. Morocco has been a member of FIFA since 1960 and the CAF since 1959.

Morocco is one of Africa's best football teams. They won the 1976 African Cup of Nations, two African Nations Championships, and a FIFA Arab Cup. They have played in the FIFA World Cup six times. In 1986, they were the first African team to win their group and reach the knockout stage. They lost to West Germany in that round.

Thirty-six years later, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Morocco surprised everyone. They won their group, beating strong teams like Belgium. They then defeated Spain and Portugal. This made them the first African and Arab team to reach a World Cup semi-final! They were also only the third team outside Europe or South America to do so.

Morocco will also be a co-host for the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Portugal and Spain. This makes them the second African nation to host the World Cup. The Atlas Lions were ranked 10th in the world in April 1998. They were the top African team from 1997 to 1999, and again since December 2022. As of July 2025, Morocco is ranked 12th globally.

History of Moroccan Football

Early Years (1928–1963)

Morocco national team in 1942 with Larbi Benbarek

The Moroccan national team started in 1928. Their first game was on December 22, 1928, against France's B team, which they lost 2–1. This early team played friendly matches against other North African teams like Algeria and Tunisia.

In 1954, a big earthquake hit Algeria. To help the victims, a charity match was played in Paris. A team of players from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia played against France. Led by star player Larbi Benbarek, the North African team won 3–2.

In 1955, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation was created. Morocco played its first game as an independent country on October 19, 1957. They drew 3–3 against Iraq in Lebanon. In that tournament, they got their first win, beating Libya 5–1.

Morocco joined FIFA in 1959. In 1960, they played in their first World Cup qualifiers. They almost made it to the World Cup but lost to Spain. The next year, Morocco hosted and won the Pan-Arab Games. They had their biggest win ever, beating Saudi Arabia 13–1!

First Big Tournaments (1963–1976)

Mohamed Massoun, Morocco's coach in the 1960s

Morocco played in its first major international tournament at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. They lost both their games, including their biggest defeat ever, 6–0 against Hungary.

In 1966, Morocco joined the Confederation of African Football. They then qualified for the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. This made them the first African team to qualify for the World Cup through a qualification tournament. In the World Cup, they scored first against West Germany but lost 2–1. They later drew 1–1 with Bulgaria, earning the first World Cup point for an African team.

In 1972, the Atlas Lions played in the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. They drew all three group games and were eliminated. They also played in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, reaching the second round.

Ups and Downs (1976–2000)

Morocco won their first and only 1976 African Cup of Nations title in 1976. They were coached by Virgil Mărdărescu and captained by Ahmed Faras.

After this success, they missed the 1978 and 1982 World Cups. In the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, they finished third. They also won the 1983 Mediterranean Games at home.

Morocco's starting lineup at the 1986 FIFA World Cup

Morocco qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. They topped a tough group with Portugal, England, and Poland. They became the first African and Arab team to get past the first round of a World Cup. They were narrowly beaten by West Germany in the next round.

In 1988, Morocco hosted the 1988 African Cup of Nations. They reached the semi-finals but finished fourth. The team then went through a difficult period, missing the 1990 World Cup and several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. However, they did qualify for the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

The Golden Generation (2006–Present)

Morocco national team in 2011

Morocco reached the final of the 2004 African Cup of Nations, but lost 2–1 to Tunisia. In 2012, the national team won the 2012 Arab Cup.

They also started playing in the African Nations Championship in 2014. Morocco hosted and won the 2018 African Nations Championship. They won it again in 2020, becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles.

Morocco starting XI against Iran in the 2018 World Cup

Morocco returned to the World Cup in 2018 after 20 years. They were in a very hard group with Spain, Portugal, and Iran. They played well but lost their first two games 1–0. Their last game against Spain ended in a 2–2 draw.

In the 2019 AFCON, Morocco won all their group games but were surprisingly knocked out by Benin in the round of sixteen.

Morocco's starting lineup against Mali at the 2020 African Nations Championship Final, which they won 2–0.

In December 2021, Morocco played in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup. They won all their group matches but lost to Algeria in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout.

Morocco qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. They won their group and beat Malawi in the round of 16. However, they were eliminated by Egypt in the quarter-finals.

Morocco's starting lineup at the 2022 World Cup

Morocco had an amazing run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They topped their group, drawing with Croatia and beating Belgium and Canada. They then beat Spain in a penalty shootout to reach the quarter-finals for the first time. They continued their incredible journey by beating Portugal 1–0, becoming the first African and Arab team to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Their World Cup journey ended with a 2–0 loss to France in the semi-final. They then lost 2–1 to Croatia in the third-place play-off, finishing fourth. The team decided to donate all their World Cup earnings to charities in Morocco that help children and families in need.

Home Stadiums

The Atlas Lions play many of their matches at the Marrakesh Stadium. This stadium can hold over 45,000 fans. It is considered a lucky stadium for the Moroccan team. They have won many games there, including a 4–0 victory against Algeria.

From 2014 to 2016, Morocco often played at the Adrar stadium in Agadir. This stadium also holds over 45,000 people. Morocco also has other large stadiums like the Fez Stadium, which holds 45,000 seats.

Images for kids

Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat
Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca
Stade de Marrakech, Marrakech
Stade Ibn Batouta, Tangier
Adrar Stadium, Agadir

Kit Suppliers

Morocco's home kit is usually red shirts with white shorts and red socks. Their away kit is often all white or all green. Over the years, different companies have made their kits:

Kit provider	Period
Adidas	1976–1993
Lotto	1994–1997
Puma	1998–2002
Nike	2003–2006
Puma	2007–2011
Adidas	2012–2019
Puma	2019–present

Coaching Staff

Walid Regragui, the current head coach of the Moroccan national football team.

The current head coach of the Moroccan national football team is Walid Regragui. He is helped by assistant coaches and other staff members.

Key Players

Current Squad

Here are some of the players who were recently called up for the team.

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir Mohamedi, Mehdi Benabid
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (captain), Adam Masina, Youssef Belammari, Abdel Abqar, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Omar El Hilali, Oussama El Azzouzi, Jawad El Yamiq, Abdelhak Assal
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari, Oussama Targhalline, Bilal El Khannouss, Amir Richardson
Forwards: Soufiane Rahimi, Amine Zahzouh, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Abde Ezzalzouli, Youssef En-Nesyri, Ayoub El Kaabi, Hamza Igamane, Osame Sahraoui, Maroan Sannadi

Most Appearances

Noureddine Naybet is Morocco's most capped player with 115 appearances.

The player with the most games for Morocco is Noureddine Naybet, who played 115 times. Other players with many appearances include Ahmed Faras (94 games) and current captain Achraf Hakimi (85 games).

Top Goalscorers

Ahmed Faras is Morocco's top scorer with 36 goals.

The top goalscorer for Morocco is Ahmed Faras, with 36 goals. Other top scorers include Ayoub El Kaabi (28 goals) and Salaheddine Bassir (27 goals). Current players like Hakim Ziyech (25 goals) and Youssef En-Nesyri (23 goals) are also high on the list.

Team Achievements

FIFA World Cup

Morocco has played in the FIFA World Cup seven times. Their best result was finishing fourth in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This was a historic achievement for an African and Arab team.

FIFA World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1970	Group stage	14th	3	0	1	2	2	6
1986	Round of 16	11th	4	1	2	1	3	2
1994	Group stage	23rd	3	0	0	3	2	5
1998	Group stage	18th	3	1	1	1	5	5
2018	Group stage	27th	3	0	1	2	2	4
2022	Fourth place	4th	7	3	2	2	6	5
2030	Qualified as co-hosts
Total	Fourth place	7/22	23	5	7	11	20	27

Africa Cup of Nations

Morocco has participated in the Africa Cup of Nations 20 times. They won the tournament once in 1976 and were runners-up in 2004.

Africa Cup of Nations record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1972	Group stage	5th	3	0	3	0	3	3
1976	Champions	1st	6	4	2	0	11	6
1978	Group stage	6th	3	1	1	1	2	4
1980	Third place	3rd	5	2	1	2	4	3
1986	Fourth place	4th	5	1	2	2	4	5
1988	Fourth place	4th	5	1	3	1	3	3
1992	Group stage	9th	2	0	1	1	1	2
1998	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	1	1	6	3
2000	Group stage	11th	3	1	1	1	1	2
2002	Group stage	9th	3	1	1	1	3	4
2004	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	14	4
2006	Group stage	13th	3	0	2	1	0	1
2008	Group stage	11th	3	1	0	2	7	6
2012	Group stage	12th	3	1	0	2	4	5
2013	Group stage	10th	3	0	3	0	3	3
2017	Quarter-finals	7th	4	2	0	2	4	3
2019	Round of 16	9th	4	3	1	0	4	1
2021	Quarter-finals	5th	5	3	1	1	8	5
2023	Round of 16	11th	4	2	1	1	5	3
2025	Qualified as hosts
Total	1 Title	20/35	74	29	25	20	87	66

African Nations Championship

Morocco has won the African Nations Championship twice, in 2018 and 2020. This tournament is for players who play in their home country's league.

African Nations Championship
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2014	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	2	1	7	6
2016	Group stage	10th	3	1	1	1	4	2
2018	Champions	1st	6	5	1	0	16	2
2020	Champions	1st	6	5	1	0	15	3
2022	Qualified, but withdrew
2024	Qualified
Total	2 titles	4/6	19	12	5	2	42	13

FIFA Arab Cup

Morocco has won the FIFA Arab Cup once, in 2012.

FIFA Arab Cup
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1998	Group stage	5th	2	1	0	1	2	2
2002	Third place	3rd	5	1	2	2	5	6
2012	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	11	2
2021	Quarter-finals	5th	4	3	1	0	11	2
Total	1 Title	4/10	16	9	4	3	29	12

Honours

Continental Trophies

Africa Cup of Nations
- Champions (1): 1976
- Runners-up (1): 2004
- Third place (1): 1980
African Nations Championship
- Champions (2): 2018, 2020