World Cup 2026: Mohamed Ouahbi vows to strengthen Morocco’s squad depth after quarter-final exit

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has pledged to build a stronger and deeper squad following the Atlas Lions’ exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting his side’s impressive campaign should serve as a foundation for future success.

The North Africans saw their World Cup journey come to an end after a 2-0 defeat to France in the quarter-finals, with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele finding the back of the net to send Les Bleus into the semi-finals.

Despite the disappointment, Ouahbi remained optimistic about Morocco’s progress and outlined his plans to improve the team’s depth to better cope with injuries and the demands of major tournaments.

“We aren’t going to stop here,” Ouahbi said after the defeat.

“We need to work on the fundamentals and ensure that when we have injuries, we have a deeper pool of players to draw from.”

The Morocco coach acknowledged that while his team had shown resilience and quality throughout the tournament, developing greater competition for places would be essential if the Atlas Lions are to consistently challenge the world’s elite.

Morocco entered the competition carrying the confidence of their historic run to the semi-finals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and once again demonstrated their growing stature on the international stage by reaching the last eight.

They navigated the knockout rounds with impressive performances before meeting a clinical French side that capitalised on its chances through Mbappe and Dembele to end Morocco’s hopes of another memorable World Cup run.

Ouahbi’s comments suggest the focus will now shift towards long-term development, with greater emphasis on strengthening the national team’s player pool and ensuring quality replacements are available across every position.

The Moroccan Football Federation is expected to continue investing in youth development and talent identification as the Atlas Lions begin preparations for upcoming continental and international competitions.

Although their World Cup campaign ended in the quarter-finals, Morocco once again underlined their status as one of Africa’s leading football nations, with Ouahbi determined to use the experience as motivation to build an even stronger team for the future.