Morocco's Lion Heart: Rekraki Rewrites the Playbook as Atlas Lions Reach AFCON Semis
9 January 2026
Morocco's march to the AFCON semis
Walid Rekraki, the Morocco head coach, etched a new chapter as he steered the Atlas Lions to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon in Rabat on Friday night.
Under his guidance, the team keeps advancing on a quest to reclaim a continental title not won since 1976, with a semi-final clash looming against the winner of Nigeria vs Algeria.
French outlet Stats Foot noted that Rekraki became the first African coach to lead a national side to the semi-finals in both the World Cup and AFCON. It also highlighted that Morocco, as hosts, became the first team to reach the AFCON semis without trailing in any game since Egypt in 2006, signaling a strong and steady display throughout the tournament.
What this means for Morocco and beyond
The achievement adds fuel to the belief that the Atlas Lions can push further in a tournament where expectations run high and nerves can show up at inopportune moments. If they maintain this level, lifting the title could become a realistic narrative rather than a distant dream.
As the dust settles, fans will wonder who joins them in the final four and whether Rekraki can keep bending the rules in Morocco’s favor.
Punchline 1: If strategy were a sniper rifle, Rekraki just hit the bullseye with pinpoint precision you’d display on a wall. Punchline 2: Morocco didn’t just break the mold—they served it with mint tea and a victory toast.
