Morocco Prove They Are No Longer a Surprise Package Against Five-Time Champions Brazil

· Free Press Journal

New York: Morocco has come a long way since their 3-0 defeat to Brazil during the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. They have narrowed the gap with the football powerhouse, which has already won five titles, although the last trophy came in 2002. 

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The rise of the North African nation has coincided with the downfall of Brazil in the last two decades. The high point came when Morocco reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Many thought it was just a one-off thing, but they proved their worth by winning the African Cup of Nations 2025, although the result came in controversial circumstances against Senegal. They had put up many consistent performances already during the tournament and before it. 

Morocco had defeated Brazil already in a friendly match in 2023, so the opening Group C encounter at the New York New Jersey Stadium was the best draw in the Group, and it lived up to the expectations with a thrilling 1-1 draw. 

What stood out for Morocco was the way they put pressure on Brazil's defense initially and dominated the first half, especially prior to the hydration break. The South African side was out of answers to quick runs from Ismael Saibiri, Brahim Diaz, and skipper Achraf Hakimi. The ball distribution from 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, Noussair Mazraoui, and Diaz was impeccable, on which their prolific scorer Saibiri latched on. It required Vinicius Junior to restore parity and allow the Brazilians to take some control of the match.  

The performance highlighted that they are no longer a team with surprise elements, but strong contenders to challenge top teams in the World. They are not only carrying the national flag but also the Arab and African hopes. They became the first African and Arab team to qualify for the World Cup semifinals in 2022 and again did the first by achieving the highest ever World Ranking of seven just at the start of the World Cup. 

Although their fans were outnumbered by Brazil in the stadium, their base is growing considerably and has many passionate followers from the country and neighbouring areas.  

It was no wonder Moroccan fans painted the New York JFK airport in red through their constant arrivals during the seven days before the match. 

Foreign players influence 

According to some reports, Morocco has mostly foreign-born players, including skipper Achraf Hakimi. However, Morocco isn’t alone here; research from the Oxford Migration Observatory has revealed nearly a quarter of the 1,248 players selected for national teams were born in a different country from the one they will represent. 

Around 96 per cent of debutant Curacao's players were born abroad, as were 85 per cent of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's, and 73 per cent of Morocco's. England, Scotland, and other nations also have many foreign players. Morocco has shown it can be successful by reaching the semifinal in 2022 after being ranked 22nd;  now they are sitting pretty in seventh spot.  

Can it work in India?

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India has been trying on similar lines by bringing Japan-born Arata Izumi in the past and recently Ryan Williams from Australia. But the pace has been too slow and hasn’t made much difference so far. Morocco shares the border with 2010 World Cup champions Spain, who have top professional clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona. These players mostly come from top European clubs that play in premier competitions. Whether India can attract such talent from top-flight clubs around the world remains to be seen. 

The study points out that migration doesn't necessarily win World Cups, with Argentina winning in 2022 with zero foreign-born players on the team. So, India needs to change the setup and mindset to excel in the sport and be part of the World Cup in future.

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