Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi hailed his players after their penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands, saying the Atlas Lions fully deserved their place in the World Cup Round of 16.
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi believes his side have earned the respect of the football world after eliminating the Netherlands from the FIFA World Cup with a dramatic penalty shootout victory.
The Atlas Lions defeated the Dutch 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to book their place in the Round of 16, where they will face co-hosts Canada.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou once again proved to be Morocco’s hero, saving Crysencio Summerville’s penalty before Ismael Saibari calmly converted the decisive spot-kick. The result sent Morocco into the next stage of the tournament and continued their impressive rise on the world stage.
Speaking after the match, Ouahbi said his players had backed up their growing reputation with another outstanding performance. He insisted Morocco no longer needed to convince anyone of their quality after knocking out one of Europe’s strongest sides.
🇲🇦 Morocco win on penalties to advance to the Round of 16!#FIFAWorldCup
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 30, 2026
“Morocco has gained everybody’s respect now,” Ouahbi told reporters. “It’s not because of what we’ve said. We’ve now shown it.” The coach praised his squad for delivering under pressure and proving they belong among the world’s elite teams.
Ouahbi also revealed that his players were motivated by far more than simply winning football matches. He said the knowledge that millions of supporters stayed awake into the early hours of the morning in Morocco to watch the game gave the squad extra determination to keep fighting until the final whistle.
The Morocco boss believed his side deserved the victory long before the shootout arrived. According to Ouahbi, his team controlled the contest with superior possession, more chances, and a higher expected goals tally, while remaining patient and disciplined throughout the encounter.
He also admitted he was surprised to see the Netherlands adopt such a cautious defensive approach, viewing it as a sign of the respect Morocco now commands.
Ouahbi credited Morocco’s memorable run to the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup for transforming the mentality of both the players and the nation. He believes the success in Qatar has given the current generation confidence that they can compete with and defeat the biggest teams on the international stage.
Despite the historic victory, Ouahbi warned that the challenge is far from over. He described Canada as another difficult opponent but insisted Morocco will approach the Round of 16 with confidence. “Nobody can stop us if we play the football we know how to play,” he said. “But nobody is unbeatable. If we get things wrong, we’ll go home.”
