We need to learn from our elimination in the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2023) in Côte d’Ivoire and look to the future to come back stronger, said national coach Walid Regragui.
“We went into this CAN with the reputation of being fourth in the World, so every team was looking to beat the Moroccan team. We weren’t up to the task, perhaps because of the pressure. It’s a competition that hasn’t been easy for us historically. We need to look at the problems that are hampering us and sort them out ahead of the next CAN in Morocco,” stressed the coach in an interview broadcast by the Arryadia channel on Friday.
“We’re one of the teams that created the most chances at this CAN, and we had possession of the ball, but we lacked efficiency. That’s something we need to work on,” added the Moroccan coach.
Returning to the preparations for the CAN, Regragui affirmed that conditions were good. “Our preparations began 15 days before the first match. We went early to get acclimatized, which is what had to be done in terms of preparation. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation provided the right conditions for this participation”, he said.
Regarding the changes made to the team line-up during the competition, Regragui stated that they were motivated by the profile of each player and their usefulness for each match, not forgetting injuries and illnesses which necessitated changes to the squad.
Commenting on the competitiveness of some of the players called up, he noted that “on the physical side, there’s no logic”.
“We had a top-class World Cup with players who weren’t regulars at their clubs. Maybe it’s the mental aspect that has affected the team’s play.”
Regragui also spoke about the incident with DR Congo player Chancel Mbemba, which led to his suspension, later overturned by the CAF Appeals Committee.
“Maybe I’m the one at fault. I like to go in good faith to the players and greet them, but perhaps the timing was wrong. These things happen in soccer,” he commented.
Asked about his choice of players for the third group stage match against Zambia, and why he didn’t spare certain key players given that Morocco had already qualified, the national coach explained that the Moroccan team needed to win this match to finish top of the group, have a lower-ranked opponent in the last 16 and stay in San Pedro.
“We shouldn’t rotate the squad too much either, as we risk having key players missing out on competition,” he added.
Referring to Hakim Ziyech, who was injured in the same match and then unavailable against South Africa in the Round of 16, Regragui assured us that he was due to play one half against Zambia, but was injured 5 minutes before the end of the first half.
Furthermore, the national coach felt that Côte d’Ivoire’s triumph was not down to luck, but to the hard work of the Elephants.
“The Ivorian team changed face in the second round and had the mental strength to win. Perhaps the difficult first round was a source of motivation for the Ivorians. It’s a good example in sport.”
“We wanted to repeat the joy we experienced at the World Cup. We did our best. Details led to our elimination. We’re disappointed,” added the coach, underlining his responsibility for the choice of players and the game’s strategy.
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