World Cup 2026 / Morocco: Mohamed Ouahbi reveals his plan to outsmart France

09.07.26 FT World Cup

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Morocco faces France this Thursday evening with their sights set on clinching a spot in the final four of the 2026 World Cup. Mohamed Ouahbi unveils his approach.

Unlike Didier Deschamps, who has remained cautious ahead of this showdown, the Moroccan manager completely rejects the idea that this is just a bonus match after a successful run so far.

"We’re doing everything to win. We’re not listening to those who say: it’s already good what you’ve achieved, France are favorites anyway. We’re not falling for that," he warned at the press conference.

Making Les Bleus suffer off the ball

Tactically, Ouahbi outlined the broad strokes of his game plan.

"The key will be to hurt them when we have possession. And it’s not just about the flanks. We’ll need to be patient and exploit gaps through the middle as well," he explained,

confident that his squad has progressed since the 2022 tournament.

Finally, the Moroccan tactician expressed complete confidence in his side’s preparation, banking on collective energy as the main weapon against Les Bleus.

Read also: World Cup 2026 / France - Morocco: KFC takes a savage jab at the Atlas Lions

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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