Regragui Makes Bullish Morocco Statement

Morocco coach Walid Regragui has hit back at criticism of his playing style and insisted the Atlas Lions will not make a special plan to stop Kylian Mbappe.

Regragui addressed the media ahead of his side’s semi-final against France on Wednesday.

The 47-year-old has already re-written the history books after first becoming the first ever African coach to lead an African nation into the quarter-finals at the World Cup. But he even went one better after Morocco became the first ever African side to reach the semi-finals of football’s biggest showpiece after knocking out Portugal.

Following wins over Spain and Portugal, where Morocco had just 23% and 27% possession, Regragui insisted he doesn’t understand the criticism of their playing style when European teams in the past have played similarly.

“European journalists do not like African teams playing like Europeans,” he said, as per Mahgribfoot.

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“In the past, African teams were portrayed as teams who played for fun with no efficiency. Those days are over.

“We are on a mission and I can assure you – we are not tired,”

“Tomorrow, we will run, there won’t be any fatigue.

“We have a huge chance. I don’t want to waste it and wait another 40 years. This is our time.”

Regragui also discussed Morocco’s plan to stop Mbappe, who has already scored five goals at this year’s World Cup and faces his club teammate Achraf Hakimi.

“Hakimi knows Mbappé better than I do. We are not going to make an anti-Mbappé plan,” he added.

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“Because unfortunately, it’s not just him. When you know the level of Griezmann between the lines…”