ESPN highlights Morocco's diaspora strategy behind Atlas Lions rise

A report by ESPN has highlighted Morocco’s long-term strategy of recruiting players of Moroccan descent raised or trained in Europe, describing it as a key factor behind the national team’s rise in recent years, particularly after reaching the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The report notes that more than half of the players who represented Morocco in Qatar were either born or trained abroad, reflecting what it described as a long-term vision by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation to integrate talent from the Moroccan diaspora into the national football project.

The federation has spent more than a decade building an extensive scouting network across European training centers, particularly in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, where many players of Moroccan heritage compete in youth academies.

Several prominent members of the current and past squads emerged from that system, including Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui, who have become emblematic figures of Morocco’s modern generation of internationals.

The strategy extends beyond simply recruiting players, the report noted. Moroccan officials have also sought to strengthen ties with players’ families and their sporting environments in Europe to reinforce their connection to the country. Former national team coach Walid Regragui, himself part of the Moroccan diaspora in France, previously emphasized the importance of that sense of belonging.

Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa also stressed that Morocco’s football project is based on long-term institutional planning, adding that changes in coaching staff do not alter the federation’s overall strategy for developing the national team.

The report also highlighted the role of the Mohammed VI Football Academy in developing local talent, noting that Morocco aims to maintain a balance between domestically trained players and those from the diaspora by investing in modern infrastructure and professional training programs capable of producing world-class players.