FIFA Pays Tribute to Moroccan Football’s “Continuing Success”

The international body highlighted the FIFA Forward Program, which “has helped advance women’s football,” the actions of the Mohammed VI Academy, which are “leading the way,” and the outstanding achievements of the men’s, women’s, Futsal, and U-17 teams in an article posted on its website on Tuesday.

Recalling the organization in Morocco in July 2022 of a FIFA Talent Development Scheme workshop as part of the Talent Development Plan launched by FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger in 2020, the article stresses that “the country has demonstrated a strong desire to continue its development, making resources available to the youth sides that represent the future of Moroccan football.

In support of this, the article’s author quotes Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, who stated at the workshop that “the development of football in Morocco should be based on a three-pronged approach focusing on facilities, talent, and well-qualified staff,” adding that “my Federation colleagues and I are certain that these three elements must be in place to ensure proper development.”

The same source stated that “Moroccan football is starting to enjoy the benefits of the Federation’s hard work, achieving significant success at all levels of both the men’s and women’s game.”

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has been a dream come true for the Atlas Lions, who won their group to advance to the round of 16 and became the first African side to achieve seven points in a FIFA World Cup group stage, according to the report.

It was recalled that Morocco has also enjoyed recent success in futsal, having won the 2020 Africa Futsal Cup of Nations and their first-ever FIFA Futsal World Cup matches in Lithuania in 2021, defeating Venezuela 3-2 and Solomon Islands 6-0 before being eliminated in the quarterfinals after falling to Brazil 1-0.

He continued by pointing out that there had also been success off the field, with record attendances attesting to the nation’s intense interest in women’s football.