Moroccan football achievements inspire Egyptian reform

Days after Morocco’s youth team won the U-20 World Cup in Chile, Egypt’s sports minister Ashraf Sobhi announced a new national campaign to discover and nurture young football talent.

While the Egyptian team exited early in Chile, Morocco’s historic championship run, the second for Africa after Ghana in 2009, has led officials in Egypt to rethink youth development strategies.

Minister Sobhi revealed, “We have agreed with the Egyptian Football Association and its technical committee to launch a project for scouting young talent, develop plans, and create new pathways for players, coaches, and referees. We will also enhance ongoing programs like the Youth Centers League and Schools League, expanding early talent discovery across various regions.”

Egypt already runs “Capitano Misr,” a four-year-old initiative focused on youth ages 11-17. The ministry plans to study models from Belgium, Iceland, and Morocco to strengthen its own football infrastructure. “We will provide support to set clear standards when selecting coaches for all age categories of national teams,” Sobhi explained.

Due to criticism following Egypt’s World Cup exit, the youth team’s coach was replaced, and the team redirected towards Olympic qualification for Los Angeles 2028. Mohamed El Shazly, ministry spokesperson, confirmed the project will build six scouting centers in Upper Egypt, Delta, Sinai, and the Suez Canal region, with expanded youth center roles for local talent discovery.

These measures reflect Egypt’s ambition to emulate Morocco’s successes, leveraging sports for greater national development and pride.