Reaction to Morocco’s World Cup exit shows a nation with winning mindset

DUBAI: Morocco’s 2-0 quarterfinal defeat by France ended another memorable FIFA World Cup campaign, but perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Atlas Lions’ exit was not the result — it was what followed.

Four years after becoming the first Arab and African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal, Morocco no longer measures success simply by how far its team progresses. Expectations have changed. And that was evident in the reaction following the loss to France.

“We can’t just say we are happy and proud with our achievements here. We need to move forward, be self-critical and assess the situation,” said head coach Mohamed Ouahbi.

Those words capture the evolution of Moroccan football.

Not long ago, reaching the knockout stages of a World Cup would have been celebrated as a remarkable achievement. Today, a place in the quarterfinals and a competitive campaign against one of the current tournament favorites leaves a sense more was possible. That is not disappointment born of unrealistic expectations — it is the mindset of a team that now believes it belongs among the world’s elite.

France deserved their victory, again demonstrating the quality that has made them a dominant force in international football, Morocco, meanwhile, struggled to create opportunities and missed the presence of Ismael Saibari, whose three goals made him their leading scorer before he was ruled out of the quarterfinal by a hamstring injury. His absence highlighted the importance of attacking depth at the highest level, an area Morocco will continue to strengthen.

Yet the reasons for optimism extend well beyond the current squad.

Morocco’s investment in football over the past decade is producing results at every level of the game. The country’s