Walid Regragui, the head coach of Morocco, said on Tuesday that “The Atlas Lions” have not reached the final four of Qatar 2022 by mistake and that they plan to advance all the way to the championship game when they face France on Wednesday at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
“You might think I’m crazy, but we want to get to the final of the World Cup,” he said. “We aren’t satisfied with reaching the semi-final and of being the first African team to do that. We are ready to give everything to pull off an upset, as we did against Belgium, Croatia, Spain and Portugal.”
Regragui, 47, who only assumed control of the national team’s head coaching position in August, is fully aware of the challenge that lies ahead as Morocco takes on players like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Greizmann, but he also believes that his team has a strong possibility of winning.
“We’re facing the best team in the world,” he said. ” But this is a cup match after all. It’s a knockout game. And when you have desire, commitment and the support of your crowd, then you can win it.”
Ilias Chair of Morocco may have managed to negotiate his way into Walid Regragui’s starting lineup for Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal matchup against France after paying the head coach a kind homage at their pre-game news conference.
The 25-year-old midfielder has so far been an inactive substitute in “The Atlas Lions'” incredible run at Qatar 2022, but he might be a front-runner for any “golden tongue” award now that he has significantly increased his chances of playing.
“I think he is the best possible man to take us as far as possible.” Chair said. “He teaches us a lot of things outside of football. We all wish him the best because he truly deserves the best.”
The man in charge appeared to be impressed.
“Wow! I think tomorrow he plays,” Regragui said, as the pair laughed together.
