Walid Regragui was presented as coach of the Moroccan national team on August 31, 2022. He succeeds Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic, dismissed on August 11, just 12 weeks before the entry into the running of the Atlas Lions the World Cup in Qatar.
Vahid Halilhodzic has been dismissed – after a separation ” amicably – from his position as coach of the Moroccan national team. And Walid Regragui succeeded him as boss of the Atlas Lions. What still looked like a rumor a few months ago – which had even been denied by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) on July 10 – has finally happened: the young technician (46 years old) will therefore lead the Moroccans during the next World Cup, scheduled in Qatar from November 20 to December 18, 2022.
“ The Moroccan public expects good results. We hope to do great thingshe said during his official presentation on August 31, 2022. We will give everything to make you happy “. However, the mission promises to be complicated for the former defender of Toulouse, Ajaccio, Dijon, Grenoble (France) and Santander (Spain). The one who was born in France and who spent most of his career there as a professional player (1999-2009) will indeed have to qualify the Moroccan selection for the round of 16 against nations such as Croatia (November 23), Belgium (November 27) and Canada (December 1).
Four-year contract
” We are all behind Walid Regragui in his new mission at the helm of the national teamsaid the president of the FRMF, Fouzi Lekjaa. We wish him good luck and good luck “. The person concerned, who made his debut on the bench with FUS Rabat (2014-2020) then went into exile in Al Duhail in Qatar (2020-2021), above all carved out a good reputation for himself by winning the last League African champions with Wydad Casablanca (2021-2022).
To the point of being offered a four-year contract with Morocco. ” I currently have a short-term project, the objective being to prepare for the World Cup “Explained the one who wore the Moroccan colors 45 times. ” I can’t change the team base that exists, but I’ll bring a touch or two “, he promised, while many Moroccan fans have been demanding for several months the return of midfielder Hakim Ziyech and defender Noussair Mazraoui, in cold weather with Halilhodzic.