Nabil Baha praises Morocco’s spirit despite U17 World Cup exit

Morocco’s under-17 national coach, Nabil Baha, says his team’s quarter-final elimination at the hands of Brazil does nothing to diminish the exceptional character and commitment the young squad displayed throughout the U17 World Cup in Doha.

Speaking to the press after the 2–1 defeat on Friday, Baha emphasised that the tournament had showcased the remarkable progress made by his players and the technical staff.

He insisted that the performance of the Young Lions went far beyond the final scoreline.

“What the players have done in this World Cup is exceptional, both physically and tactically, he said. They have shown a fighting spirit and unwavering determination.”

Baha noted that the squad demonstrated maturity beyond their years, managing to stay competitive against some of the strongest youth sides in the world.

He highlighted their ability to adapt in difficult periods of matches, praising the defensive resilience and attacking ambition that defined Morocco’s run to the last eight.

“They never gave up and made great defensive and offensive efforts to progress in this competition, he added. The coach stressed that the World Cup experience had been instructive for everyone involved. The competition taught us a lot as technical staff and players.”

However, Baha also voiced strong frustration over what he described as officiating mistakes during the match against Brazil.

He openly questioned the decision-making that allowed Brazil’s second goal to stand.

“We will learn from our mistakes to make up for it, he said, before turning his attention to the refereeing. The refereeing made blatant errors, because we all saw that there was a handball on the second goal. How could the referee, with the technology at his disposal, not see it?”

Despite the disappointment of falling short of the semi-finals, Baha affirmed that the ambition within the squad remains intact.

He said the players had dreamed of reaching the final and of honouring the Moroccan public with a historic achievement.

“The players wanted to go far in this competition and make the Moroccan people proud, because they wanted to play in a World Cup final, he said. Baha added that the setback would only strengthen the group, promising that Morocco’s emerging talents will come back stronger to make history in Moroccan football.”