2026 World Cup: Morocco’s three trump cards to topple Canada

04.07.26 FT World Cup

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Morocco

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Morocco will be aiming to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the second consecutive time at the World Cup.

The Atlas Lions will square off against Canada on Saturday, in a showdown set for the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, United States.

The North African squad advanced to this stage at the expense of the Netherlands, prevailing 3-2 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 in regular time.

Here are Morocco’s three major assets to bring down Canada.

Historic dominance

The Atlas Lions have never lost to the Canucks in four meetings.

In 1984, Morocco claimed a 3-2 victory in a friendly at the Moulay Abdallah Sports Complex in Rabat.

The two sides met again in 1994 for a second friendly, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The third encounter came in 2016, with Morocco running out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Mehdi Carcela, Hakim Ziyech (2), and Rachid Alioui.

Their most recent clash was at the last World Cup, where the Atlas Lions triumphed 2-1.

Tactical and technical superiority

Morocco has showcased outstanding qualities during this 2026 World Cup campaign.

The African representatives have displayed clear superiority against two footballing powerhouses—Brazil and the Netherlands.

With a squad full of exceptional talent, the North African side appears vastly superior to their North American opponents, both technically and tactically.

Experience at the highest level

Morocco is no stranger to the advanced stages of the World Cup, unlike their Canadian counterparts.

As a reminder, the Atlas Lions finished fourth at the last World Cup, behind Argentina, France, and Croatia.

Canada, meanwhile, has reached the Round of 16 for the first time in its history.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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