Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi believes the Atlas Lions have outgrown their underdog status as they prepare for a mouthwatering 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash against France at Foxborough Stadium on Thursday.
The encounter rekindles memories of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, where France ended Morocco's historic run with a 2-0 victory before eventually finishing as runners-up to Argentina.
Four years on, Morocco return to the last eight as one of the tournament's standout teams rather than surprise contenders. The Atlas Lions have produced a string of impressive performances, opening their campaign with a draw against Brazil before recording convincing victories over Haiti and Scotland to advance from the group stage.
Their momentum continued in the knockout rounds, where they came from behind to eliminate the Netherlands on penalties in the Round of 32 before delivering a commanding 3-0 win over co-hosts Canada to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Ouahbi's side will now be aiming to rewrite history by knocking out France and securing a place in the World Cup semi-finals once again.
