Walid Regragui, head coach of the Moroccan national team, sent a message to his critics after guiding the Atlas Lions to the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Cameroon on Friday, January 9, 2026.
He appeared visibly moved after the match, telling TV reporters that he had repeatedly said he could help Moroccans reach the final and contend for the title.
He added that there were critics who lacked confidence in him, but that the end justifies the means; the team is in the semi-finals for the first time in 22 years and is close to lifting the trophy.
He concluded that he is not bothered by the criticisms because the squad is united and moving in the right direction.
Two light punchlines: if defense could talk, they'd say they keep clean sheets and a steady caffeine intake.
Morocco's master plan? lift the trophy, then convince the trophy cabinet it's okay to stay up late.
