It is no longer a surprise to see among the strongest teams in the FIFA World Cup™. The Atlas Lions are back among the elite after posting a in the Round of 16 at Houston Stadium.
Reaching the final eight is familiar territory, as they achieved the same feat at Qatar 2022, making them the first African team to reach the quarter-finals in two different World Cup editions.
Four years ago, their campaign ended in the semi-finals, the best ever finish for a CAF side. But this time around there is a sense that they could do better still, as Morocco now boast a playmaker who is capable of picking the lock of any opposing defence: Brahim Diaz.
The No10 debuted with the Atlas Lions in March 2024 and hasn’t looked back. Under the spotlight in Houston, Diaz delivered when Morocco needed him most. Struggling against a feisty, hard-pressing Canada team, the Real Madrid man served up two assists to tip the balance in Morocco's favour.
“It’s a dream, for sure, to be experiencing this World Cup, to reach the quarter-finals, to help the team with everything we’re doing and with what I do,” Diaz told FIFA. “But the most important thing is to be in the quarter-finals.”
He also highlighted Morocco’s mental toughness after a difficult first 45 minutes.
“Above all, today’s mindset [stood out], because the first half wasn’t easy; it was tough,” said Diaz. “And in the end, that says a lot about the team, about the attitude we have, and turning things around in situations like this is a very good sign for whatever comes our way.”
In their historic 2022 campaign, Morocco stood out as an energetic and tenacious team, with a competitive spirit and defensive discipline. That hasn’t changed. But if there was a missing piece in 2022, it was perhaps a player possessing Diaz's attacking qualities. In a contest that was very evenly matched at the start, Diaz perfectly orchestrated two counter-attacks that sealed the victory; first, with a perfect pass for Azzedine Ounahi’s second goal, and then a ball into Soufiane Rahimi to make it 3–0.
During the celebration, Diaz’s Morocco team-mates celebrated both with him and the goalscorers, acknowledging the midfielder's contribution.
“They really like me; they have a lot of respect for me,” said Diaz about the celebrations. “They gave me that spotlight after the goal, and I’m happy about that.”
In five games at these global finals, Diaz has contributed four assists. In addition to the two against the Canadians, he also set up Ismael Saibari’s goals in the 1-1 draw with Brazil and the 1-0 victory over Scotland. But while his playmaking ability has Morocco fans dreaming of an even better campaign than the 2022, the 26-year-old is preaching caution.
“The truth is that they did a wonderful job at the World Cup in Qatar. All the players who aren’t here on the roster now were part of that,” said Diaz. “We’re very happy to be in the quarter-finals, and now we’re going to give it our all for what’s ahead.
Sources: FIFA Official
