Marcelo praises Morocco’s rise, dismisses ‘miracle’ narrative after 2022 World Cup performance

Brazilian legend Marcelo Vieira has offered high praise for the Morocco national team, insisting their historic performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup was no miracle but the result of years of steady progress.

Speaking in an interview with Asharq Sports, the former Real Madrid captain challenged the popular narrative surrounding Morocco’s run to the semi-finals, emphasising that the team’s quality had been evident long before the tournament in Qatar.

“I don’t think Morocco achieved a miracle at the last World Cup. I believe they have been good for a long time, but since World Cups happen every four years, many people don’t pay enough attention to national teams,” he said.

Marcelo explained that the team’s success was built gradually through consistent performances at both club and international levels, rather than emerging suddenly on the global stage.

“The Moroccan national team has had great success for many years, and there are many outstanding players who perform very well with their clubs, which is why I don’t consider it a miracle.”

He further highlighted the professionalism within the squad, pointing to the influence of club football in shaping the team’s competitive edge.

“The players of the Moroccan national team train well and perform at a high level with their clubs, and they are capable of achieving very good results at the World Cup.”

Morocco’s campaign in Qatar remains one of the most remarkable in modern football history, as they became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, defeating several top sides along the way.

Marcelo’s remarks reinforce a growing consensus in football that Morocco’s achievement was not a one-off surprise, but the product of long-term development, discipline and a generation of players competing consistently at the highest level in Europe.