Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has confidently declared his ambition to lead the Atlas Lions to victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which the North African nation will host later this year.
Speaking during a press conference after unveiling his squad for upcoming friendlies against Benin and Tunisia, Regragui called for unity and patience from fans, emphasizing his belief in the team’s potential to secure continental glory on home soil.
“I hope that the Moroccan public will be patient and especially good-intentioned, as they were in the World Cup, and that they will support us with confidence, and I promise them the CAN,” he said.
In a bold statement, the coach stressed his confidence in his ability to deliver the title, even suggesting he would gladly step aside if a foreign coach could guarantee success.
“If someone offers me a guarantee that a foreign coach will be present to help us win the Africa Cup of Nations, I will step aside from now on. I will help him and I will be grateful to him. Whether it’s Guardiola, Ancelotti or someone else, I don’t know. What I know is that I am capable of giving the Moroccans the AFCON title, and I am capable of doing so, provided there is trust and support.”
Regragui also explained the team’s decision to turn down a proposed friendly against Sweden, opting instead to focus on facing African opponents in preparation for the tournament.
“I would like to feel the level of mobilisation among us all. From now until the start of the Africa Cup of Nations, we have our plans. Recently, the Swedish national team offered us a friendly match, but we refused because we want to face African teams instead of European teams in their stadiums. The goal is clear: to gain more experience against teams from the African continent.”
Morocco has been drawn into Group A alongside Zambia, Mali, and Comoros. The 2025 AFCON is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
