Morocco U-17 head coach Nabil Baha has set his sights on World Cup success after leading the North African nation to their first-ever U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
In a dramatic final over the weekend, the Atlas Cubs edged past Mali 4-2 on penalties to clinch the coveted trophy, marking a new chapter in Moroccan youth football.
Speaking after the match, Baha expressed his gratitude to those who supported the journey, including the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), his technical staff, national team coach Walid Regragui, and his family.
“I’m proud of the boys, proud of this title,” said Baha. “The Federation backed us all the way. My family—my wife and kids—stood by me through everything.”
The title comes as a dream start for Baha in his first major coaching assignment. In a touching personal moment, his son Ziyad scored Morocco’s opening penalty in the decisive shootout.
“As a coach and a father, this is massive,” he said. “I saw a video of one of the players’ dads praying during the shootout. I thought he was praying for his son, but it turned out he was praying for mine – Ziyad. That’s the kind of unity we’ve built in this squad.”
Despite the high-pressure environment of a final, Baha never lost faith in his players. He singled out goalkeeper Chouaib Belaârouche for his calm presence and match-winning saves.
“We always believed. I knew we had the edge on penalties with Chouaib in goal,” said Baha.
Baha also emphasised that this is just the beginning. While the team will enjoy their victory, preparations for the U-17 FIFA World Cup are already on the horizon.
“We’ll enjoy this for a week, then we prepare for the World Cup. This squad has ambition. We want to go far,” he said.
The coach also applauded the quality of competition at the AFCON, acknowledging the rising standard of youth football across the continent.
“We faced tough sides—Ivory Coast, South Africa. African football keeps growing,” he said. “Why not see three African teams in a World Cup semi-final one day?”
Baha closed with a heartfelt message to the Moroccan supporters: “This win belongs to you. Every family, every city—you all played a part. Thank you. This is your trophy, too.”
With their quarter-final finish, Morocco secured a place at the upcoming U-17 FIFA World Cup, joining fellow African qualifiers Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia.
The expanded tournament, featuring 48 teams for the first time, is set to take place in Qatar from November 3 to 27.
