Source: @(AFP PHOTO )
Years ago, a university professor bluntly told a young Mohamed Ouahbi that he completely lacked the communication skills required to teach physical education. Today, the 49-year-old Belgian-born tactician is delivering an absolute masterclass on global football’s grandest stage. Having expertly steered the Atlas Lions to the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, Ouahbi has utterly dismantled those early criticisms, orchestrating an unbeaten run that has set up a mouth-watering clash with two-time champions France in Foxborough this Thursday.
When Ouahbi took the reins just three months before the tournament to replace the immensely successful Walid Regragui, eyebrows were firmly raised across the continent. Apart from a brief stint as an assistant manager at Anderlecht, his senior managerial experience was practically non-existent. However, his pedigree in youth development is unparalleled. Spending 17 years at the Belgian giants, he nurtured world-class talents like Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku. His crowning glory arrived last year when he guided the Moroccan Under-20 side to global glory, notably vanquishing France and Argentina. This meticulous grassroots foundation gave him the exact tools needed to elevate the senior squad’s technical floor.
The Moroccan federation’s massive pre-tournament gamble has paid spectacular dividends. While Regragui’s pragmatic, counter-attacking system yielded a historic semifinal run in 2022 and an Africa Cup of Nations triumph, supporters had grown increasingly weary of the cautious approach. Ouahbi has injected a thrilling, offensive verve into the squad. With Bayern Munich’s dynamic new signing Ismael Saibari pulling the strings, Morocco has showcased a highly attractive brand of football. This was clearly evidenced by a spirited group-stage draw against Brazil and a tense shootout victory over the Netherlands. Legends of the Moroccan game, including Aziz Bouderbala, have lauded his ability to blend imaginative attacking structures with resolute defensive solidity against formidable opposition.
Ouahbi’s extensive background in youth football has also proven invaluable in managing prodigious talents on the senior stage. The seamless integration of 18-year-old midfield sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi—a former France Under-21 starlet who recently committed his international future to Morocco—highlights the manager’s exceptional man-management skills. Former international Abdelaziz Bennij noted that while initial fears were rampant regarding Ouahbi’s capacity to handle a dressing room full of established egos, his quiet, assured authority immediately settled the camp.
Despite the skyrocketing praise, Ouahbi remains deeply grounded, attributing the team’s phenomenal success entirely to a collective effort. He famously refuses to use the first person when discussing his strategies, insisting that victory is a product of the entire coaching staff and squad working in perfect unison. This charming humility has captivated fans and family alike; even his famously sharp-dressed father has swapped his tailored suits for Moroccan tracksuits. As the Atlas Lions prepare to face Kylian Mbappe and a star-studded French side, the man who was once deemed unfit to teach has already etched his name into the annals of African football history.
