Morocco's 2022 semifinal run was the most surprising and thrilling story of that World Cup. They play with an iron defensive structure and explosive counterattacks. In 2026, they're coming back as a team the world now respects and fears.
| Player | Pos | ⚽ | 🎯 | 🔫 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achraf Hakimi Paris Saint-Germain | DF | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Youssef En-Nesyri Fenerbahce | FW | 4 | 2 | 16 |
| Hakim Ziyech Galatasaray | MF | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Sofyan Amrabat Fiorentina | MF | 2 | 5 | 10 |
Morocco reached the 2022 World Cup semifinals — the first African nation ever to do so. They beat Spain and Portugal on the way. No one saw it coming.
The Moroccan team is sometimes called "the Atlas Lions." Most of their players were born in Europe (France, Spain, Belgium) but chose to represent their ancestral homeland.
Achraf Hakimi, Morocco's star right back, plays for Paris Saint-Germain. He grew up in Madrid's Real Madrid academy — one of the world's most elite soccer training programs.