Wahbi Post-Exit: We Won't Change Our Style or Abandon Our Project

Morocco's coach Mohamed Wahbi held a press conference in Morocco following the exit of the "Atlas Lions" from the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup after losing to France, where he reviewed the reasons for the elimination and his vision for the future of the team, emphasizing that the current experience will be an important milestone in the development journey despite the bitterness of the exit.

Walid Regragui emphasized that the national team did not stray from its tactical identity against France, stating: "We did not change anything tactically against France compared to the matches against Brazil and the Netherlands. Our goal remained the same, which was to impose our style of play and maintain possession of the ball."

He added: "We played the most beautiful football in the history of the Moroccan national team in this World Cup." He considered that the team succeeded in presenting a clear identity and a distinctive style of play throughout the tournament.

Morocco's coach acknowledged the superiority of the French national team in terms of player quality, stating: "We cannot compare our players to those of the French national team. France has world-class players, while our players are the ones who push themselves to exceed their limits and show their best levels."

He added: "Today, I'm not thinking about how we could have won against France, but rather how we could have troubled them more. I saw how France plays and the seriousness and discipline they possess. In the future, I want to find solutions that allow us to disturb them more and make the match harder for them."

Wahbi defended his tactical choices, asserting that they were based on his coaching convictions, stating: "I never felt that I excluded Nourredine Naybet or Mustafa Hajji while they were at the peak of their performance." He emphasized at the end of the conference that he takes responsibility for the elimination, confirming that the national team will continue to work on improving its level and narrowing the gap with the top global teams in preparation for upcoming challenges.