Morocco and Canada.. history leans towards the "black"

The match between the Moroccan and Canadian national teams is set to renew on the evening of next Saturday, when they meet on the pitch of the "NRG" Stadium in Houston, USA, as part of the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. This match carries a vengeful tone for the Canadian team, as the last encounter between the two sides ended with a victory for the "Atlas Lions" with a score of (2-1) in the group stage of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Statistics indicate a clear advantage for the Moroccan national team in the history of direct encounters, as the two teams have faced each other on four previous occasions, with Morocco winning three matches, one match ending in a draw, while the Canadian team has not managed to achieve any victory.

The series of encounters began in 1984, when Morocco won with a score of (3-2), before a draw was established in the friendly match between the two teams in 1994 with a score of 1-1. The national team then confirmed its superiority with a significant victory (4-0) in a friendly match in 2016, before clinching the encounter in the Qatar 2022 World Cup in its favor with a score of (2-1), leading to a new meeting between the two teams in the 2026 edition.

Hakim Ziyech tops the list of historical scorers in matches between the two teams with three goals, while Mustafa Hadawi, Youssef En-Nesyri, and Mehdi Carcela each scored one goal. Rudy Dolsky remains the only Canadian player to have found the net against the Moroccan national team in the history of these encounters.

The Moroccan national team enters the match buoyed by its qualification to the Round of 16 after eliminating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout (3-2), following a tie at the end of regular and extra time (1-1). In this match, the national team players displayed a strong character and great ability to handle pressure.

As for the Canadian team, it reached this stage after finishing second in its group with four points, following a thrashing of Qatar with six goals to none, a draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina (1-1), and a loss to Switzerland (2-1). In the Round of 32, it continued its journey by eliminating the South African team with a last-minute goal scored by Stephen Eustáquio in the second minute of stoppage time (90+2).

Although history favors Morocco, the current match data makes it open to all scenarios, given the development both teams have witnessed in recent years. The "Atlas Lions" aspire to continue their remarkable journey and qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the second consecutive time, while the Canadian team hopes to achieve its first victory over Morocco and end the direct encounter curse.