Morocco has been celebrating since its Atlas Lions qualified for the first round of the World Cup since 1986.
The ex-international Abdeslam Ouaddou (Nancy, Rennes etc.) is delighted with this selection, “the best generation that Morocco has known”.
Very committed to the fight for the respect of human rights, the former defender now coach in Benin does not fail to scratch Qatar.
A country he knows well.
If there is a man who will not go to Qatar during this World Cup, it is him.
Abdeslam Ouaddou knows the Emirate well: he played there from 2010 to 2012. A very bad experience for the former defender of AS Nancy Lorraine.
Deprived of training, salary, accommodation, forced to change clubs… He had even been prevented from returning to France for a time, for lack of an exit visa issued by his employer.
The ex-Moroccan international (59 selections) finally got away with it by seizing Fifa, which had proven him right.
Since then, he had repeatedly denounced the awarding of this World Cup and even forced Qatar to abolish the "kafala", a system which imposed on each foreigner a guardian in the country.
All this does not prevent the technician currently exported to Benin (Loto-Popo FC) from watching "many matches" of the competition.
With in particular a watchful eye on the Atlas Lions, which he sees going "until the final".
How do you follow this World Cup?
I certainly have a special history with Qatar but that does not prevent me from watching the world's No. 1 sport.
Especially during the World Cup.
I support my two countries (he has dual nationality), Morocco and France.
Without forgetting Senegal because many were trained, like me, in France.
I also look at other teams, to analyze their strengths and weaknesses, their organizations, their systems...
What have you enjoyed so far?
I would say the pedagogy of the referees.
They are often decried but there, I find that they are part of the game. Whereas usually, we see two teams and a man in black.
They approach the matches with the will to approach the players with a lot of calm and serenity, without being repressive.
What about the game then?
Apart from a few teams that are really playful, I find that it calculates a lot.
It's very tactical, we see a lot of low and grouped blocks that evolve in transition.
On some matches, we are bored!
I hope it will be unbridled in the knockout matches.
Where do you place Morocco in all this?
He played with his weapons.
Let's not forget that the coach (Walid Regragui) took over the team only two months ago.
So it was normal to be cautious at the start, to reassure yourself.
But little by little, I find that they have freed themselves, especially against Canada (2-1).
They were confident after their two good results (0-0 against Croatia and 2-0 against Belgium).
What do you find in these Atlas Lions?
I love their passion, their determination, their enormous desire to put their country very high.
And unlike twenty years ago for example, I see real individual and collective intelligence on the part of the players.
Those of this generation have a tactical knowledge that allows them to manage matches well.
Before, Morocco always had very good technical players but there was a collective naivety.
What do you link this development to?
To the coaches of these selections, because other African teams are in the same situation, who have played in Europe.
They learned this tactical discipline and it allowed them to take a step forward.
Most African players play so far from their country now...
Quite a few have even been trained in the Netherlands (Ziyech, Mazraoui, Hamrabat), in Spain (Hakimi) and especially in France.
Apart from En-Nesyri, Ounahi and Aguerd, who went through the Mohamed IV academy, none learned football in Morocco.
But it was already true at the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
For Walid Regragui, it was Corbeil-Essonnes. His history as a coach is incredible, isn't it?
No, it's a normal path for him to have taken this team.
He is a former player who passed his diplomas, obtained results in a well-structured club (FUS Rabat), had a short experience in Qatar (2020) and recovered the Wydad team (Casablanca) with whom he was African champion.
It was logical that he was entrusted with the selection after the deplorable ousting of Vahid Halilhodzic (last August).
Walid Regragui was the only one with the ideal profile to succeed him.
He knows the mentality of his players well, who have roughly the same background as him.
That is to say with economic migrant parents or grandparents whose children were educated in Europe.
When you know the history of your group well, it is an advantage for a manager.
Among Moroccan players, do you stand out more than others?
There is no surprise in my opinion.
But if I have to highlight one, it's Amrabat.
In front of the defense, he does an extraordinary job and is part of the standard team of the first phase.
It's just huge!
In another register, one could certainly ask questions about the state of form of Ziyech who was not playing at Chelsea.
But he arrived with a lot of freshness, gradually found the rhythm.
He will count.
Finally, I think of En-Nesyri.
He has an atypical style and was criticized by the majority of the supporters, which is unfair.
But a technician who knows football quickly realizes its importance in the device.
You don't mention the defense, which only conceded one goal in three games...
Yes, it's solid, but I don't only put forward the back four.
Morocco is solid thanks to its team block and everyone's willingness to make efforts for the pressing.
Look at the extraordinary work of the line of attack!
الجماهير المغربية تستقبل المنتخب الوطني بعد تأهله لثمن نهاية كأس العالم 🫶
Moroccan fans warmly welcome the National Team next to their hotel after their qualification to the Round of 16#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #TeamMorocco #FIFAWorldCup @pumafootball pic.twitter.com/eisPkXjAkz
— Morocco team (@EnMaroc) December 2, 2022
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Where do you place this team in the history of the Moroccan selection?
There are many parameters that make me say that this is the best generation that Morocco has known.
I say that without denigrating the previous ones, of which I was a part.
But the current group combines technicality, interesting physical capacity and above all collective intelligence.
They are able to think, which was not the case a few years ago.
In terms of tactical thinking, it was limited.
How far will she go?
I can already see them winning against Spain in the round of 16.
Why ?
Because La Roja has a game based on possession, movement, passing.
But Morocco has such tactical intelligence that it can counter it if it manages to close the spaces well.
And then I see them go to the final!
People may think I'm crazy, but I guarantee you they can go there.
Unless injuries were to happen because the depth of the bench seems limited to me.
In the event of a final, will you come back to Qatar?
No, I will not set foot in this country.
Does it bother you that the Emirate is currently being highlighted, after all that you have experienced there?
No, because the World Cup is welcome in every country in the world.
In football, there is no sectarianism normally, it is an opportunity to bring people together.
Now, if we look a little closer and look at respect for human rights, workers' rights and other things, we say to ourselves that there is a problem.
Fifa entrusted the World Cup to a country that excludes people.
In terms of ethics and morals, that bothers me.
Are you afraid that once this World Cup is over, the situation will return to the way it was in Qatar?
It must already be understood that this small Emirate is housed between two behemoths, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
They want to exist and this World Cup allows them to show them.
For that, they made concessions on the reception of migrants, labor law, etc.
so that this World Cup takes place.
I sincerely think that all that will stop after this very beautiful event.
Unfortunately maybe, but Qatar is a sovereign state.
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