"The Atlas Lions" are competing in the "2026 World Cup" under the pressure of Qatar's historic achievement.
The entry of the "Atlas Lions" into the 2026 World Cup competitions is accompanied by the pressure of achieving the previous Qatar edition, and experts in sports affairs believe that this will have a positive impact on Wahbi's group to solidify the position that national football has reached globally.
These experts stated that Moroccan fans no longer accept "less" from the national team, especially after the achievements that have been made, which may give the "Atlas Lions" a moral boost to play advanced roles in this World Cup.
Mohamed Achiban, a national expert in sports, said that "Moroccan football is currently going through a pivotal and decisive phase in its history. It is no longer acceptable to settle for mere participation in competitions; rather, the main goal is to strive for titles and championships."
Achiban added, in a statement to Hespress, that the recent achievements of the national teams have contributed to changing the football mentality. Among the most notable milestones is the national team's reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar, the youth team's brilliance in Chile, in addition to the futsal category winning bronze.
According to the speaker, these successive successes have significantly raised the ceiling of ambitions and expectations of Moroccan fans. The Moroccan national team, across all categories, is now always required to deliver the best, which places continuous pressure on the players and the technical management.
He further stated: "Coach Wahbi faces additional pressures to achieve better results and improve performance. Recent matches show that he has a clear strategy and specific tactical convictions, as he prefers to maintain the core of his formation and involve players he trusts in their abilities to ensure harmony."
The speaker emphasized that Moroccan fans will not be satisfied with any result less than what the team has previously achieved, and this reality imposes a significant challenge on the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and the technical staff, as Morocco is no longer participating just for participation, but for leadership.