It is a great fervor that should animate the supporters who will make the trip to the Tangier stadium. Saturday evening March 25, the Atlas Lions, revelation of the World Cup in Qatar with a fourth place, will meet the Auriverdes of the Brazilian national team in a friendly match, at 10 p.m. (local time).
To celebrate its comeback, the Moroccan selection did not want to hear about an away match, especially since its last appearance on its soil dates from June 13, 2022, in Casablanca, against Liberia (2-0 ) for the qualifications of the African Cup of Nations (CAN). A little over three months after their flamboyant Qatari career, Morocco absolutely wanted to play the first of two friendly matches in March (they are exempt from the 3rd and 4th days of qualifying for CAN 2024) in front of their public, the second being scheduled for March 28 in Madrid, Spain, against Peru.
The Moroccans had considered being able to face Argentina, crowned with their title of world champion. But it is an end of inadmissibility that the South American selection addressed to the North Africans, the Albiceleste also wishing to celebrate his coronation at home with his banderazos, preferring Panama to Morocco (March 23) and Curaçao (28 March).
“We wanted a big team, explains an internal source at the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). Brazil has become obvious. In Morocco, when we think of football, we especially think of Brazil, it is a reference. And that team was available."
"The enthusiasm is incredible"
The arrival of Brazil, which will certainly be deprived of several of its stars (Neymar, Richarlison, Marquinhos), all injured, obviously has a cost. According to information from World Africa, the amount of the total envelope (air transport, accommodation and catering in a five-star hotel, on-site transport, security and stamp of the Brazilian federation) varies between 1 and 1.5 million euros. "That's what it takes to move an opponent of this caliber," confirms an international match agent. In Morocco, it is even said that King Mohammed VI, whose deputy minister for the budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, is also the president of the FRMF, has decided to bear the total cost of the operation.
The FRMF chose the Ibn-Batouta stadium in Tangier, which can accommodate 65,000 spectators, to welcome the five-time world champions, whose last visit to the Maghreb dates back to June 6, 1973, for a friendly match won in Tunisia (4-1). The body has decided to practice a reasonable pricing policy, since the price of tickets will be 10 euros, 30 euros and 50 euros. More than 800,000 requests for places have been issued, and the federation, to fight against the black market, where precious sesames sell for up to four times more expensive, has decided to limit the sale to two tickets per person.
Far from these organizational issues, Walid Regragui, whose popularity rating in Morocco is at its zenith, will lead his selection there for the first time since his appointment in August. “Never has a coach been as popular as him. He is Franco-Moroccan, he knows how to talk to people and, since the World Cup, he is untouchable, confirms Nassim El-Kerf, sports journalist for SNRT News. His list for matches against Brazil and Peru did not elicit the slightest negative comment. People are happy to find their team, for a gala match, at the beginning of Ramadan. The enthusiasm is incredible. »
"Selection become attractive"
Since the end of the World Cup, the coach of the Atlas Lions has indeed started a tour of Europe in order to convince several dual nationals to play for their country of origin. And the former Racing Santander defender was able to be persuasive, since Benjamin Bouchouari (Saint-Etienne), Yassine Kechta (Le Havre), Ibrahim Salah (Nantes), Ayoub Amraoui (Nice) and Chadi Riad (Barcelona Atlétic) gave their agreement, while Brahim Diaz (AC Milan), also eligible for Spain, asked for a cooling-off period. “Morocco has become an attractive selection. Binationals are much less hesitant to accept wearing the Moroccan jersey, ”intervenes former international Mustapha El-Haddaoui, one of the best players in the history of Moroccan football.
Like all his compatriots, El-Haddaoui sees the future of the Lions with optimism, but his experience at the top level encourages him to a certain extent: “Morocco has reached a milestone in Qatar. But we must not remain in euphoria. The hardest part begins, he explains. It's good to compete against big teams like Brazil, but the reality will be to go and play matches in Africa to win a CAN that has eluded us since 1976, and to qualify for the 2026 World Cup "which will will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The objectives were confirmed by Regragui in person, and this reassured the Moroccans who feared that the technician, the subject of some solicitations on his return from Qatar, would give in to temptation. "He has probably been approached, but he has a mission and wants to go after it," said Mustapha El-Haddaoui. He couldn't leave when the adventure was just beginning. »
