World Cup 2026: We’re not afraid – Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi ahead of Brazil clash

Morocco head into their World Cup opener against Brazil on Saturday carrying both the weight of expectation and the confidence of recent history, with memories of their groundbreaking 2022 campaign still fresh across global football.

At the Qatar World Cup four years ago, Morocco rewrote the script for African and Arab football, becoming the first team from the continent to reach the semi-finals.

Along the way, they stunned Spain and Portugal in a run that transformed their global reputation and shifted perceptions of African football at the highest level.

This time, however, the Atlas Lions arrive not as underdogs but as established contenders. Ranked seventh in the world — just one place behind Group C opponents Brazil — Morocco are no longer viewed as outsiders hoping for a breakthrough but as a side expected to compete deep into the tournament.

Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has been emphatic about the team’s evolution and mentality.

“We’re not afraid,” said head coach Mohamed Ouahbi. “We’ve entered a new dimension, we’re a lot more respected. The goal now is to try and make that last – it’s up to us to become contenders.”

The transformation reflects a squad that has matured significantly since its historic run in Qatar, with several players now starring at top European clubs and operating at the highest levels of club football.

Among them is Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, who remains one of the team’s most influential figures.

The reigning African Player of the Year was central to Morocco’s success in 2022 and believes the current squad has both the quality and belief to match — or even surpass — that achievement.

“We know the quality Brazil have and the players they’ve got,” said Hakimi.

“We’re thinking about starting in the best way, thinking about going as far as we can and to do better than last World Cup. But right now we’re thinking about tomorrow (Saturday) and doing the best we can.”

Despite Morocco’s improved standing, Hakimi insisted there would be no psychological edge when they face Brazil in New Jersey.

“I think a game like that in a tournament like the World Cup, there aren’t favourites,” he added. “It’s 50-50, it’s a very even game.”

Saturday’s clash is widely regarded as one of the standout fixtures of the group stage, pitting Africa’s highest-ranked side against a five-time world champion still searching for consistency on the global stage.

For Morocco, it is both a test and a statement opportunity — a chance to prove that their rise in world football is not a fleeting moment, but the beginning of a sustained presence among the elite.