Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi believes his team is primed to make a deep run at the World Cup, declaring that the Atlas Lions could be "unstoppable" if they play to their potential. The Moroccans, beaten semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup, advanced to the last 16 on Monday after winning a thrilling battle with the Netherlands on penalties in Monterrey. It was another stylish display by the African champions, who dominated for long periods in a match that finished 1-1 after extra-time. Ouahbi said Moroccan football is now reaping the benefits of the 2022 team's groundbreaking exploits in becoming the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals. "The World Cup in Qatar changed the mentality of the Morocco team, and I'm well placed to speak about this," said Ouahbi, who last year coached Morocco to a momentous victory at the Under-20 World Cup in Chile. Morocco forward #09 Soufiane Rahimi celebrates with fans after winning in the shootout during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between the Netherlands and Morocco at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe on June 29, 2026. (AFP) "Moroccan players in Morocco believe in themselves, the supporters, the fans believe in us as well. It's so important. They're demanding, but it's because they know just how far we can go," he said. Morocco face co-hosts Canada in the last 16, with a potential quarter-final meeting with France looming on the horizon. Ouahbi said there would be no question of complacency against Canada. "We know that it's game after game, and people think that it's kept to be easy for us, it's going to be a walk in the park for Morocco, which is not the case. Canada is a team that is going to be difficult for us." But Ouahbi said Morocco could go even further than the 2022 team if they fired on all cylinders. "What we need to be telling ourselves is no one can stop us," he said. "We're unstoppable if we play the football that we know how to play. The Moroccan team starts to celebrate after winning on penalty kicks the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP) "But nobody is unbeatable. And I tell my guys that as well. If we get things wrong, we'll go home, and we need to ensure that we have all the tools that we're using, the tools in our arsenal to go as far as we can, and that's the mentality that we want all of our players in Morocco to have." Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman meanwhile said Morocco's emergence reflected the quality of African football. "It's very clear watching this World Cup that African teams have greatly improved in tactical sense, and also in the way they play their matches," Koeman said. "Morocco is the country that, in terms of talents, really generates good players, young players that continue to join the major clubs in Europe. It's not without a reason why they have a higher ranking than the Netherlands."
