2026 World Cup: Gernot Rohr predicted Morocco's victory over Canada

Gernot Rohr called it ahead of Morocco-Canada. On July 3, 2026, on the eve of the World Cup round of 16, the Benin head coach had already tipped the Atlas Lions to win this encounter. Twenty-four hours later, Morocco triumphed 3-0 over Canada.

Morocco proved on the pitch exactly what Gernot Rohr had described ahead of this knockout clash. In an interview focused on the evolution of African football, the Franco-German tactician explained that Morocco’s progress is built on a project developed over several years.

Gernot Rohr praises Morocco and its football development

The Atlas Lions have been turning heads since the opening day of the 2026 World Cup. With three wins and a draw, Mohamed Ouahbi’s men are into the quarter-finals. It’s a huge achievement for Morocco, now the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals. This comes as no surprise to Gernot Rohr, current Benin boss and former Nigeria coach.

“Morocco has it all: quality pitches, small fields scattered across cities and suburbs. Everyone plays football there. People even play on the beach; there’s always football activity. Sometimes we even have to travel to Morocco for our matches. Several African countries do the same. Whether it’s Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, or Marrakech, you’ll find magnificent stadiums everywhere. The country also hosted the last Africa Cup of Nations,” he told Wettbasis.

The 73-year-old coach is particularly convinced that Africa will soon lift its very first World Cup trophy.

“Morocco is naturally the closest. We were a bit disappointed by Senegal. Sure, they improved in their third match. I was in New York to watch that game. In the first half against France, Senegal were better than the French. The French usually start slowly before gradually picking up the pace, and in the second half they clearly dominated. But Senegal has potential and can go very far.”

Gernot Rohr wrapped up his analysis by sharing his prediction for the Morocco vs Canada match.

“I’d say 2-1, but after extra time.”

Lydiane N'Po |

Editorfr, en

Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.

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