A pen picture of one of Scotland’s Group C opponents might well go as follows.
Backed by thousands of fanatical supporters. Trailblazers in this competition. Replete with multiple world class footballers. Will believe they have as good a chance as anyone of lifting the trophy.
But are we referring to Brazil or Morocco? Ominously, the fact is that both nations now perfectly fit the description.
Let there be no doubt that, across the next week, Steve Clarke’s players will be tasked with the equivalent of climbing Everest twice.
Scotland are tantalisingly close to getting out of a group for the first time in 13 attempts at a major competition yet still need to pull off something extraordinary to get there.
Your heart tells you that Brazil, with five stars on that famous canary yellow jersey, will be a more formidable challenge in the heat of Miami next Wednesday. The head says Morocco could actually provide a stiffer test in Boston on Friday.
Ismael Saibari celebrates his goal against Brazil with Morocco superstar Achraf Hakimi
One thing is certain. If being drawn to face a beatable pot four side in Haiti was a sliver of good fortune for Clarke in December, then a date with Morocco was payback time.
Semi-finalists in Qatar and the reigning AFCON champions (subject to CAS ruling), Mohamed Ouahbi’s side are currently seventh in the FIFA rankings, just one spot behind the Brazilians.
In Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz they have two superstars. Hakimi’s stamina is so freakish that his compatriots claim he has three lungs.
The image of Diaz — Spanish born, developed at Manchester City, a title winner with AC Milan — is seen in billboards throughout the country. His is the face of modern super-ambitious Morocco.
The supporting cast is a bewildering list of talents. Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old holding midfielder with Lille, was outstanding in the draw with Brazil in New Jersey. He captained France’s Under-21 side just a few months ago. His switch of allegiance is rightly being heralded as a huge coup.
Ismael Saibari, the PSV Eindhoven midfielder who filled in up front in the opening game, scored a peach of a chip to hand his side the lead. Bilal El Khannouss, the left-sided player from VfB Stuttgart, has vision and supreme technical ability. Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui plays left-back but can fill in anywhere across the back line.
Saibari’s deft flick after a fantastic through ball left Brazil goalkeeper Alisson for dead
Forty years after they became the first African nation to get out of a World Cup group, make no mistake, the Atlas Lions are here to win.
It’s not just the players that their manager can call upon which precludes you from ruling out that possibility. The Moroccans have vast experience gained over the past two World Cups.
They also have an attitude which hasn’t always been to the liking of sides they’ve encountered. They are streetwise and then some.
Senegal’s infamous walk-off in the final of the 2025 AFCON didn’t happen purely because they felt wronged at the award of the penalty which Diaz subsequently missed.
There was a growing perception throughout the tournament that Morocco, the hosts, would stop at nothing to gain an advantage and benefitted from a number of marginal calls.
South Africa complained about their training facilities. Mali voiced concerns about refereeing decisions in the group stage. Nigeria objected to the ball boys pinching their keeper’s towel after they lost the semi-final to the home nation.
The North Africans know full well that no one in Africa likes them. Truly, they do not care.
Morocco’s fans bring a dash of colour to proceedings and they’re dreaming of World Cup glory
There may be a trace of jealousy in all of this. A wealthy nation compared to the sub-Saharan countries, Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup.
In preparation, it is in the middle of a £3.28bn investment in stadia and infrastructure. There have been protests about this jaw-dropping level of expenditure from many citizens who feel the money would be better spent on healthcare and education.
In a country which is fixated by becoming the first African nation to be world champions, though, the dissenting voices are in the minority.
Could they go one better than 2022 when they defeated Belgium, Spain and Portugal on their way to the last four? It’s entirely possible.
Last year, Morocco set a world record for the longest winning streak in international football by achieving 19 straight victories.
They eased their way to qualification this summer with eight wins from eight, finishing nine points clear at the top of their group, scoring 22 goals and conceding just two.
While the celebrations which followed the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award them the AFCON title at Senegal’s expense were wild, there remains a sense of regret that Morocco didn’t win the game on the night.
Ultimately, that forced their manager Walid Regragui, who was a hugely popular figure, to resign in March with one journalist in the post-match press conference holding him personally responsible for making ‘children in the stands cry’.
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi is not long in the door but has his team playing beautifully
His replacement, Ouahbi, an ex-school teacher who spent more than a decade coaching in Anderlecht’s youth sides, guided the Under-20 side to victory against Argentina in the 2025 Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
Although clearly not ideal, this late switch of coach was hardly unusual. Regragui also took charge just three months before the last World Cup. Look how that one worked out.
‘The team needs a fresh face, a different energy, and a new perspective with a new coach,’ Regragui said when he stepped down.
‘I think the team needs a new lease of life before the World Cup, a new vision to continue progressing. My decision to leave is part of this team’s evolution.’
While Ouahbi has remained true to his predecessor’s possession-based style which relies on width complementing the attacking full-backs, there has been a departure from the horseshoe of doom which Regragui was criticised for.
Fewer passes and fewer touches are now taken to get into the final third. Ouahbi has granted the side more licence to attack in numbers.
They are also strong at set-piece situations and enjoy their reputation of being the Arsenal of Africa.
They scored 11 goals in three friendly wins over Paraguay, Burundi and Madagascar, drew with Norway in their final build-up match, then deservedly held Brazil in the MetLife stadium where the final will be held next month.
Not only do they expect to be back there on July 19, they believe they will lift the trophy. Scotland will do extremely well to confound those expectations.
