The friendly match against Morocco, a tough test for the Selecao against one of the best teams in the world (Brazilian press)

On Mar 25, 2023

The Brazilian press described the friendly match this Saturday at the Ibn Battouta stadium in Tangier against Morocco, as a tough test for the Selecao, which seeks to recover after its underperformance in the World Cup Qatar-2022.

The Brazilian media have emphasized the technical quality of the national team which is full of players playing at the highest level in Europe.

The TV channel Bandeirantes, which is broadcasting this match in Brazil along with ESPN and Star +, presented the star players of Morocco who made up the backbone of the team that became the first in the Arab world and Africa to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Through reports from Tangier, the television highlighted the enthusiasm of the Moroccan public for this match and the optimal conditions, as described by the Brazilian delegation, in which the preparations of the Selecao took place, speaking of “one of the most passionate countries for soccer”.

For its part, the sports newspaper Ge estimated that the interim coach of the Brazilian national team, Ramon Menezes is facing a tough test against a strong Moroccan team, noting that the Brazilian players will have to do their best in this first game of the Selecao in Moroccan lands.

The mission will be all the more difficult in front of a passionate Moroccan public that has already distinguished itself in Qatar by encouraging body and soul of its national team that has imposed itself as one of the best soccer teams in the world, the newspaper stressed. “Moroccan fans will repeat the same celebration. Our players must be ready for it and show that they are worthy of the national jersey,” insisted the sports newspaper.

The Brazilian coach was aware of this challenge: “We will not take unnecessary risks against one of the best teams in the world, of course, but we will be more relaxed, play with our qualities and try to make a great game.”

The daily newspaper O Globo reports that “the Moroccan national team will meet its fans after the historic fourth place in the World Cup in Qatar for the first time in a friendly against Brazil, in the city of Tangier. Always in a festive mood, coach Walid Regragui has called up almost the entire team that won the best ranking of an African country in the World Cup”.

On the other hand, Brazilian media have emphasized the assets of Morocco, especially in terms of infrastructure, which strengthen its chances for the organization of the next futsal and Football World Cup in 2030.