Morocco’s run should be a wake-up call
Mqondisi Dube | Monday December 19, 2022 16:00
Other issues will remain side dishes. The country has just completed Africa’s best run at a World Cup since the first tournament in 1930.
No African country had ever reached the last four of the biggest football tournament but the Atlas Lions roared loud enough in the vast desert of Qatar. Qatar also created history of its own, becoming the first Middle East country to host the World Cup. But it was Morocco that crafted a beautiful World Cup story and left the biggest impression.
The North Africans topped a difficult group that had favourites, Belgium and perennial challengers, Croatia. In the last 16, few gave them a chance against other tournament favourites, Spain but they prevailed before claiming probably the biggest scalp in Portugal in the quarter-finals. However, their dream run came to a screeching halt at the hands of 2018 champions, France, who contested the final against Argentina last evening. Morocco were the better side against France, proof that their run to the semi-finals was no fluke.
They were only undone by France’s experience. Other African nations have stood up to applaud the continent’s best record at the World Cup. But while Morocco’s run has stunned the football world, a cursory glance at some vital statistics will reveal a different story. The current CAF Confederations Cup champions are RS Berkane, a team from Morocco.
The reigning CAF Champions League is Wydad Athletic Club from Morocco’s Casablanca. Berkane are the holders of the CAF Super Cup title. Morocco’s AS Far are the holders of the CAF Champions League title after defeating favourites, Mamelodi Sundowns in the final. This means all CAF club competition trophies are currently domiciled in Morocco.
The women’s national team went all the way to the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations played in July before they fell to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana. All these statistics speak to the growth of Morocco football and the government has invested considerable amount in infrastructure. One can see a deliberate path to grow football and the nation is reaping rich dividends.
They did not go to the World Cup to make up numbers but to compete. They have stars littered across top leagues in the world and this is not just a coincidence. It comes from meticulous planning that has culminated in the country getting its due rewards and global recognition.
How many other African countries can confidently claim that success has come from deliberate planning? In most instances successes is nothing but a fluke or a flash in the pan.
The Zebras qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2012 but how much of that was down to administrator’s planning? Ask current Zebras coach, Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote if the Botswana Football Association (BFA) has indicated how it intends to support his plans for the team. I am not talking about organising friendly matches, that is found at the tail end of the planning ecosystem.
In most instances, it is a case of stabbing in the dark hoping to miraculously hit the target. It can work sometimes but not all the time and such success is usually short-lived.