Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos has praised Morocco’s growing reputation as a top destination for major sporting events, saying the country’s co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal will make it “one of the best tournaments in history.”
In an interview with Hespress, the former Real Madrid and Brazil star said Morocco’s passion for football makes it an ideal host.
“People in Morocco love football. I think it’s a perfect country to host the 2030 World Cup,” Carlos said. “It’s a huge event, and I’m very happy to see what it means for the country. Morocco, Portugal, and Spain are all nations that adore the game, and I’m sure this World Cup will be one of the most beautiful ever.”
Carlos said the event will offer fans “a unique opportunity to watch the best national teams and players in an extraordinary football atmosphere.”
The former left-back also hailed the rapid progress of Moroccan football in recent years.
“When the senior national team performs well, it reflects positively on the younger categories,” he said. “The U-20 and U-17 squads have incredible players who are already thinking about joining the senior team. Morocco is on the right track and showed great performance in the last World Cup.”
He drew parallels between Moroccan and Brazilian football, emphasizing their shared focus on talent development.
“In recent years, Morocco has placed great importance on youth training. Today, many Moroccan players play for major European clubs,” Carlos noted. “Brazil and Morocco are very similar in this respect, both nations produce talents who go on to become world-class players.”
Carlos highlighted the similarities between Moroccan and Brazilian fans, describing both as deeply passionate about the game.
“They love football just like we do,” he said. “They have great players who perform at a high level, and we in Brazil are happy to see that shared passion.”
The Brazilian icon also offered advice to young Moroccan players:
“Be true professionals, play with joy, and make people enjoy every match,” he said. “Most importantly, have a winning mentality, that’s what makes a player special.”
When asked about his favorite Moroccan players, Carlos praised both Brahim Díaz and Achraf Hakimi, calling the latter “an exceptional modern right-back.”
“Hakimi was with me when I was coaching Real Madrid Castilla. Seeing him now at Paris Saint-Germain, performing at the highest level, makes me very happy, it means the work we did early on paid off,” he said.
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, Carlos tipped Brazil as one of the favorites but expressed hope that Morocco will continue its impressive rise.
“Brazil is always a contender for the title, but I hope Morocco keeps developing with the same hunger to play and win,” he said. “Nobody knows who will lift the trophy, but the passion of fans in both Morocco and Brazil makes football even more beautiful.”
Carlos concluded with a message of goodwill: “I wish both Morocco and Brazil success, they represent true football passion that makes the world love the beautiful game.”
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