Morocco remain the standout favourites to lift the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, according to veteran coach Claude Le Roy, but the Frenchman has raised concerns over what he described as a lack of intensity from the host nation’s supporters during the opening days of the tournament.
Speaking to Afrik-Foot in the corridors of the Moulay-Abdallah Stadium in Rabat ahead of Friday’s clash between Morocco and Mali, Le Roy offered his verdict on the early tone of AFCON 2025.
Despite acknowledging the strength of the Atlas Lions, he was struck by what he felt was a subdued atmosphere in the stands during the opening match.
“ There is one clear favorite, and that is Morocco. Morocco is the clear favorite because they have talent, because they have a good coach, because they have stadiums. For the moment, they don’t yet have a fan base. Because I found the Moroccan public to be rather lukewarm at the opening match . It seems that I didn’t like it, but that’s what I felt in the stadium. I felt that there were spectators, not supporters, ” Le Roy stated .
The 77-year-old, who has taken part in nine editions of the Africa Cup of Nations as a coach and won the tournament with Cameroon in 1988, went on to contrast the Moroccan crowd with what he witnessed in another fixture involving Algeria.
His comments drew a vivid comparison between the two sets of supporters.
“ It’s true that the Moroccans struggled in the first half. I saw Algeria-Sudan, there were 10,000 Algerians, I felt like there were 100,000 ,” the veteran coach added.
For Le Roy, the question of atmosphere goes beyond simple noise levels.
He believes it ties into a broader issue around mentality, an area he feels has sometimes held Morocco back in major continental competitions.
While he remains convinced that the hosts have the technical, tactical and physical qualities to go all the way, he insists that the psychological dimension will be decisive if they are to fulfil expectations.
“ They remain the overwhelming favorites in this competition, even though technically, tactically, and physically, they are very, very sharp. Mentally, psychologically, we know that there is always a Moroccan vulnerability in major competitions, except at the World Cup, and that they can be inhibited, a bit blocked. I think there must be mental coaches who have prepared them for that ,” the Frenchman concluded.
His remarks resonated strongly given Morocco’s status as hosts and one of the most talented squads in the tournament.
Expectations are high, and with the weight of a nation behind them, the Atlas Lions are under intense pressure to deliver a first continental title since 1976.
Yet, as if to answer Le Roy’s challenge, the atmosphere in Rabat appeared to shift markedly on Friday evening.
For their second outing of the group stage against Mali, the Moroccan public responded in force, generating a far louder and more passionate backdrop than earlier in the week.
The stands were animated, the chants relentless, suggesting that the supporters were ready to fully embrace their role as the team’s “12th man”.
Whether that surge of energy can be sustained throughout the competition may prove crucial.
For now, Morocco remain the team everyone expects to beat – a side with talent, infrastructure and ambition, but, as Le Roy implies, one that will need unwavering backing from the terraces to finally turn promise into continental glory.
