Moroccan coach Walid Regragui made poignant statements during his tribute ceremony, held on Thursday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex. He reviewed his long-standing relationship with the Moroccan national football team, emphasizing that the next phase might require an injection of new blood to continue the path of development that Moroccan football has witnessed in recent years.
Regragui explained that his connection with the national team dates back many years, as he experienced multiple stages with the national jersey, starting from his childhood as a fan like other Moroccans, before becoming a player defending the team’s colors. He then later joined the technical staff as an assistant to coach Rachid Taoussi, eventually taking on the responsibility of leading the national team’s technical management.
The Moroccan coach pointed out that when he took over the coaching duties shortly before the start of the 2022 World Cup, he was aware that the squad included talented players with great potential. However, they needed clear organization and a cohesive playing identity, in addition to strengthening team harmony.
Regragui affirmed that the goal he set from the beginning was to develop the team’s performance and instill a winning mentality within the squad, stressing that he worked with great seriousness and sincerity to serve the national team and exerted his utmost efforts to achieve positive results.
Regragui also spoke about the most significant achievements during his tenure with the national team, foremost among them reaching the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup, an unprecedented achievement in the history of African and Arab football, in addition to reaching the Africa Cup of Nations final after an absence of more than two decades, and achieving the national team’s best-ever ranking in the FIFA standings.
Regragui also addressed a message of thanks to Mohammed VI, noting that the qualitative leap in Moroccan football is due to the royal vision that has given great attention to developing infrastructure and enhancing governance in the sports sector.
In concluding his speech, Regragui affirmed that football goes through different phases, and some periods require new ideas and renewed energy. He considered that his decision stems from the interest of the national team, which today has become a strong team that trusts its capabilities and is not afraid to face major international teams.
