Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi believes his side has only begun to show its potential after an encouraging 1-1 draw against Brazil in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The North African team delivered a confident performance against the five-time world champions, taking an early lead and creating several scoring opportunities before settling for a point in the Group C encounter.
Speaking after the match, Ouahbi said his players had demonstrated both ambition and character, but insisted the team is capable of achieving even more as the tournament progresses.
Morocco struck first through Ismael Saibari and caused Brazil numerous problems throughout the contest, particularly during a dominant first-half display in midfield.
The result continued Morocco`s impressive rise on the international stage following their historic run to the World Cup semifinals in Qatar four years ago — the best-ever finish by an African nation.
Ouahbi made it clear that matching that achievement is not his ultimate objective.
The coach said his ambition is to take Morocco beyond the semifinal stage and challenge for even greater success at this year`s tournament.
He also praised the mentality of his players, noting that they approached the match with the intention of winning rather than simply defending against one of football`s most decorated teams.
A key figure in Morocco`s performance was 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who recently received FIFA approval to represent Morocco internationally after previously featuring for France at youth level.
The teenager played an influential role in midfield, helping limit the impact of Brazil`s experienced midfield trio and earning praise from his coach.
Ouahbi said Morocco had worked hard to convince Bouaddi to commit to the national team and expressed confidence in the youngster`s future, highlighting his experience at the highest levels of club football despite his age.
The draw leaves Morocco well positioned in Group C as they prepare for upcoming matches against Scotland and Haiti.
With confidence growing inside the squad, Ouahbi believes the performance against Brazil has sent a strong message that Morocco intends to be one of the tournament`s most competitive teams.
-20260614001012.webp)
-20260611112822.png)
-20260610082702.jpg)
