Women’s AFCON 2026: Ghizlane Chebbak puts Morocco’s title dream above personal glory

Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak has made it clear that lifting the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy is her priority, insisting team success means more than any individual recognition as the tournament gets underway on home soil.

Speaking ahead of Morocco’s opening Group A match against Kenya, the reigning CAF Women’s Player of the Year said her focus is entirely on helping the Atlas Lionesses secure their first continental title.

Chebbak, who was crowned Africa’s best female footballer at the 2025 CAF Awards, stressed that while personal honours are appreciated, they take second place to collective achievements.

“My goal is to give my best to the team.“

She added: “Individual accolades are nice, but what really matters are team trophies.”

The midfielder enters the tournament as one of Morocco’s most influential players and one of the country’s most accomplished footballers.

Her leadership will once again be central to Morocco’s ambitions as the hosts look to make a strong impression throughout the competition.

Chebbak leading Morocco’s title ambitions

Morocco begin the tournament carrying the expectations of home supporters, with Chebbak expected to play a key role both on and off the pitch.

As captain, she has become one of the defining figures of the national team, combining experience with a consistent ability to influence important matches.

Her comments before the opening fixture reflected a player determined to focus on the team’s objectives rather than individual milestones.

Despite collecting one of African football’s highest individual honours last year, Chebbak has placed the emphasis firmly on bringing success to Morocco.

For the Atlas Lionesses, the 2026 Women’s AFCON represents another opportunity to compete for continental honours, with the captain determined to lead by example.

An impressive AFCON scoring record

Chebbak’s record at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations underlines her importance to Morocco.

She is the country’s all-time leading scorer in the competition with eight goals, a statistic that highlights her ability to deliver on the biggest stage.

The numbers also demonstrate her impact on Morocco’s performances. The Atlas Lionesses have won five of the six AFCON matches in which Chebbak has found the net.

The only exception came in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final, when Morocco suffered a 3-2 defeat to Nigeria, despite their captain getting on the scoresheet.

That result remains the only AFCON loss for Morocco in a match where Chebbak has scored, illustrating how closely her attacking contributions have been linked to the team’s success.

Focus on Kenya opener

Morocco’s campaign begins against Kenya, with the hosts aiming to make a positive start in front of their supporters.

Chebbak’s experience, leadership and goalscoring ability are expected to be among the team’s biggest strengths as they seek to progress through the tournament.

While individual achievements have helped establish her reputation as one of Africa’s leading footballers, the Moroccan captain insists the ultimate objective remains unchanged.

For Chebbak, winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco would outweigh any personal award, and she hopes her performances can help guide the Atlas Lionesses towards that goal.

As the tournament begins, Morocco will look to their captain to inspire another memorable campaign, with the dream of a first continental title firmly in sight.