The Ghosts of Moroccan Glory Haunt Brazil as Morocco U17 Chase a World Cup Dream

Morocco U17 Set to Challenge Brazil in Doha

Morocco's under-17s intensified preparations at Thumama Stadium, a venue that three years ago highlighted the Atlas Lions' breakout moment at the senior World Cup when they toppled Portugal and reached a historic semifinal against France.

These drills are aimed at a crucial match on Friday at Aspire 7 against Brazil, in the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the age group.

Coach Nabil Bahha used sessions at the stadium to lift the players, recalling the senior team's achievements and recent meetings with Brazil, to boost morale and drive them toward the big mission and closer to the dream final that the coach and the federation set before traveling to Doha.

Media coverage underscored the match's significance and Bahha's motivational tone, highlighting Moroccan performances across age groups against Brazil and aiming to break the fear barrier against Latin American sides, while outlining how the team could pull off a surprise and keep the title chase alive, echoing Chile's youth success.

In the training, Bahha invoked the Lions' spirit, aiming to free players from pressure and to get them to play without constraints or fear of judgment, stressing that every step they take brings them closer to repeating historic Moroccan feats.

Bahha told them: I asked them to play with the same ease we showed when we won the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Play without pressure, regardless of the opponent. Those directions yielded strong results, and we recorded our biggest win in our participation history. I am pleased with the players' response after this talk.

He added that they are tasked with matching the 2022 World Cup run in the same country, living again the festive atmosphere in the market and reaching at least the semifinals. The seniors' and youths' performances have become a motivation for this generation, as Moroccan football enjoys a remarkable period; after the group stage the picture clarified itself, and the quarterfinals show we faced a tough, ironclad group.

Bahha notes that the two teams that beat Morocco in the group phase, Japan and Portugal, remain in contention, with three Morocco group teams among the last eight.

Confidence, Respect, and Support

Bahha stressed that Brazil is not as intimidating as in every age group, and Moroccan football has recently shown meaningful edge over its Brazilian counterparts, while urging caution and respect for the opponent without overestimating them.

He reminded players that the senior side defeated Brazil in a 2023 Tangier friendly 2-1, that the under-23s beat the Olympic Brazilian side, and that the youth team famously beat Brazil in Chile and later took the title. Bahha concluded that Morocco has earned global standing and should be feared, not the other way around.

The talk also urged shedding past hesitations while avoiding overconfidence; they will strive to follow in the footsteps of those who came before and prove that Moroccan football currently dominates the continent and represents the Arab world by merit, with strong faith in the players' sense of the task.

Mass fan mobilization and record support: As with the Mali fixture, which ended the knockout-stage curse against African opponents, the team is set for robust home support for the Brazil game, with fans backing the players in training and Aspire Arena expected to be full.

KOOORA has learned that Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan Football Federation, maintains constant contact with players and staff to urge continued strong performances that capped off the group phase against New Caledonia and then the United States and Mali in the knockout rounds.

Morocco will also welcome Abdallah Wizan back, a playmaker and one of the team's top scorers, after recovering from an injury against the United States, while Bahha reintroduces the attacking duo Ziad Bahha and Abd Al-Ali Al-Daoudi.

Punchline time: If scoring were a sniper’s job, Morocco's kids would be lining up headshots—clean, precise, and on target every time.

Punchline time 2: Brazil, bring a bigger net, porque these youngsters are stacking goals like precision strikes—this one could be a surprise shot heard round the world.