President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, paid a motivational visit to the Atlas Lionesses on Friday, just 24 hours before their opening match of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The visit took place at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, where the Moroccan women’s national team was holding its final training session ahead of their Group A opener against Zambia.
Lekjaa, accompanied by several high-ranking officials from the federation, delivered a strong message of encouragement and national pride to the squad.
According to reports from Le360 Sport, the FRMF president made a point of greeting each player individually and engaging with the full technical staff.
In his address, shared later by the federation, Lekjaa praised the team’s journey and noticeable progress, highlighting their “collective discipline and fighting spirit” as key attributes required at this level of elite competition.
He reiterated Morocco’s ambition as hosts of the tournament and reminded the players of the significant backing they enjoy across the country. “The Moroccan public believes in you deeply,” he told the squad.
“They expect you to carry the nation’s colours with honour and pride.” He concluded by urging the players to give their absolute best on the pitch.
Morocco is hosting the Women’s AFCON with great expectations following the impressive growth of its women’s football programme in recent years.
The Atlas Lionesses, who captured the continent’s attention with their run to the final in the 2022 edition, are under pressure to replicate or even improve upon that success on home soil.
Their campaign begins on Saturday evening in Rabat with a tough match against Zambia, another rising force in women’s football on the African continent. Group A also includes Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo, setting the stage for a tightly contested round-robin battle.
Lekjaa’s presence at the final training session reflects the broader commitment of the FRMF to the development of the women’s game.
Under his leadership, investment in infrastructure, youth development, and coaching has seen Moroccan women’s football rise in both performance and visibility.
The Mohammed VI Complex, where the team is based, has become a symbol of Morocco’s modern football ambitions—a state-of-the-art facility that has attracted widespread acclaim from across the continent.
The Atlas Lionesses enter the tournament not only with strong domestic support but also with growing international attention, as they seek to confirm their place among Africa’s top women’s footballing nations.
With their group campaign about to get underway, expectations are high and the message from the federation is clear: Morocco is not here to simply participate—it is here to contend.
As they prepare to face Zambia, the players know the eyes of the nation will be watching. With the symbolic backing of the federation’s top brass, the Lionesses now have the platform to inspire a new chapter in the history of Moroccan football.
