Claude Le Roy has praised Walid Regragui’s work with Morocco, describing the national coach’s performances at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as the early signs of a highly promising managerial career.
Speaking after the tournament, the veteran French coach, who has previously led Senegal, Cameroon, Congo and Ghana, highlighted the quality of Morocco’s play under Regragui and pointed to clear tactical and technical progress within the team.
His assessment focused on Morocco’s overall approach during the competition, as well as specific matches that, in his view, demonstrated the coach’s growing influence.
“I think we are witnessing the beginning of a very promising coaching career. The way the Moroccan team played, not only against Cameroon and Nigeria, where their tactical superiority was impressive, but also against Zambia, was of a very high technical level,” Le Roy said in statements given to On Sport 2.
The former Africa Cup of Nations winner emphasised that Morocco’s performances were not limited to isolated moments, but reflected a broader identity that has been taking shape under Regragui.
He pointed in particular to the team’s ability to control matches through organisation, movement and technical precision, qualities he believes are hallmarks of strong coaching.
Le Roy said he had recently revisited footage from the group-stage match against Zambia, which further reinforced his opinion. “I rewatched the first thirty minutes of Morocco’s match against Zambia a few days ago.
They were technically perfect,” he said. However, he also acknowledged that the latter stages of the tournament presented greater challenges for the North African side.
Reflecting on the final, Le Roy suggested that physical and mental fatigue played a significant role in limiting Morocco’s performance.
“On the other hand, during the Africa Cup of Nations final, I think Morocco suffered physically due to the semi-final lasting more than two hours, as well as the mental fatigue linked to the penalty shootout,” he added.
According to Le Roy, Morocco’s physical condition was particularly tested against Senegal, a team he described as exceptionally strong athletically. “There was a slight deficit in physical preparation.
However, tactically, what Morocco offered in terms of closing down spaces and pressing after losing possession was remarkable,” he explained.
Despite those limitations, Le Roy’s overall assessment was firmly positive. He underlined that Morocco’s tactical discipline and collective organisation throughout the tournament reflected careful preparation and clear ideas from the technical staff.
For the experienced coach, these elements point to a future in which Regragui could continue to build on the foundations laid during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
