Morocco’s football credibility rises as criticism from Algeria and Egypt draws ridicule

Continuous media campaigns by some Algerian outlets against Morocco’s national football team, coupled with remarks by Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan criticizing Morocco’s hospitality, have sparked widespread ridicule online, extending even to Arabic TV programs that use satire to engage audiences, according to Moroccan civil society observers.

Activists noted that this reaction reflects public awareness of biased and misleading narratives and underscores the limited influence of such campaigns, especially given Morocco’s progress in football results and event organization. Objective foreign media coverage has further weakened the credibility of these attacks.

Abdelouahid Ziyat, head of the Moroccan Network for Civic Youth Alliances, said the satirical response highlights the lack of impact of baseless criticism. “Morocco has become a genuine footballing power with a clear global footprint, which exposes the animosity behind such attacks,” he told Hespress AR.

Ziyat emphasized that Morocco and its fans have never questioned the victories of rival teams, even when officiating was controversial. “The lack of sportsmanship mixed with malicious intent from certain administrations or sports officials produces absurdities that are naturally met with ridicule,” he added.

Idris Seddrawi, president of the Moroccan League for Citizenship and Human Rights, called the recent Algerian media campaign “systematic and politically motivated,” accusing it of falsely linking Morocco to match manipulation and casting the Algerian team’s defeat to Nigeria as a conspiracy.

He criticized Hossam Hassan’s remarks as “frivolous,” noting that all teams agreed that accommodation in Tangier met international standards.

Experts stressed that Morocco has delivered one of the most professionally managed AFCON tournaments in history, with excellent infrastructure, smooth operations, and exemplary fan behavior, while isolated incidents from some Algerian fans are amplified by a biased media.

Seddrawi concluded that mixing politics with football is dangerous, undermining the unifying potential of sport, and called on Algerian media to uphold journalistic ethics, rely on facts, and preserve football as a platform for tolerance and intercultural exchange rather than conflict.