In a festive and emotional atmosphere, the members of Morocco’s U20 national football team, world champions, were warmly welcomed on Wednesday evening in Rabat by a large crowd, eager to celebrate their historic and unprecedented achievement in Chile.
Since the afternoon, hundreds of supporters gathered along Mohammed V and Hassan II avenues and on nearby main squares, awaiting the players’ passage on an open-top bus. They waved the national flag and wore team jerseys to express immense pride in this exceptional triumph, which cements Morocco’s place on the global football map.
Fans of all ages joined in joyous celebration, welcoming the young players as heroes with chants and traditional cries, accompanied by smoke flares, in recognition of the Atlas Lion Cubs’ unprecedented feat, becoming the first Arab team to win a U20 World Cup title.
In statements to MAP, citizens agreed that these champions had etched Morocco’s name in football history through their performance at the U20 World Cup, defeating the best teams in the world and proudly raising the national flag in Chile’s skies.
“Winning the World Cup is a moment of national fervor,” said Othman (31), from Tetouan, adding that the Atlas Lion Cubs’ achievement is a pride for all of Morocco and has written a golden page in the history of national football.
Similarly, Noura (13) from Marrakech expressed her excitement at attending with her family to greet the heroes of this epic journey, who brought immense joy to Moroccan households from Tangier to Lagouira, showing that the impossible is not Moroccan.
Karim (13) from Salé said he was delighted with the national team’s results. “I will remember this day for a long time; it made me dream of wearing the national team jersey and lifting the Cup like these champions,” he said.
Hassan (53), a Moroccan living in Germany, said he came specifically to celebrate the national team, expressing happiness over this historic football achievement and the praise the Moroccan team received from the German and international press.
Mouna (43), from France, also said that Moroccans are capable of historic achievements, noting that she traveled to Morocco to attend this popular reception for Zabiri and his teammates.
As the crowd began to disperse in a cheerful atmosphere, other supporters continued celebrating the national team’s victory along Mohammed V Avenue, singing improvised popular songs.
HM King Mohammed VI laid the foundations for a genuine football renaissance that enabled the country to win the U20 World Cup in Chile, national team coach Mohamed Ouahbi said.
Speaking at a press conference after Morocco’s 2-0 victory over Argentina in the final, Ouahbi praised the enlightened vision of HM the King, who laid the foundations for a genuine football renaissance through the creation of the Mohammed VI Football Academy and regional sports federations.”
“The world title is the natural outcome of years of sustained effort. I am proud of this achievement, which will remain etched in the memory of Moroccan football,” Ouahbi said.
He added that Morocco now has a team fully prepared to compete at the highest level, noting that the squad deservedly overcame one of the world’s strongest youth sides. Ouahbi also credited his coaching staff, saying their contribution was “major in this success, not just mine.”
Regarding the final, Ouahbi said his players approached the match “with the mindset to make history,” emphasizing that victory over Argentina extended the success of Moroccan football in recent years, including at the Qatar World Cup and across other youth national teams.
He praised the support of Chilean fans throughout the tournament, expressing gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality shown to the Moroccan delegation.
On tactics, Ouahbi noted the team quickly opened the scoring, capitalized on opponent errors, and defended solidly, despite missing some opportunities. The U20 squad had earlier eliminated experienced teams such as Spain, Brazil, the United States, and France en route to the title.
“This achievement is not only about winning a historic trophy,” Ouahbi said, “it also crowns a long-term structural reform process built on modern training and a forward-looking vision, driven by the Mohammed VI Football Academy, which has become a talent incubator and a cornerstone for supplying skilled young players to Morocco’s national teams at continental and international levels.”