Moroccan Players Among Best of the World Cup

Morocco’s impressive run in the world cup has surprised many, including the most hardcore fans of Morocco. Many of the Moroccan players have achieved over-night fame and are now house-hold names in Morocco, Africa, and worldwide. Overnight, their historical run at the world cup has made many of the Moroccan players well-recognized and admired. Journalists around the world have picked many of Moroccan players for a spot in the dream team of the FIFA 2022 world cup.

ESPN analysts from Qatar 2022 named their teams of the tournament and these are the Moroccan players that are featured in most choices.

Ashraf Hakimi

Unsurprisingly, Hakimi, made almost all picks as the best right back players in the tournament. Known to be more of an attacking fullback, Achraf Hakimi showed the other side of his game in the World Cup.

He held firm against the world’s top attackers, leading the total tackles and positions won in the defensive third. Hakimi made an appreciable number of recoveries and also is in the top five for interceptions.

Soufian Amrabat

Unknown before the World Cup, but grew in stature with every passing game and was Morocco’s one of the best players in the tournament. All ESPN pundits included him in the dream team, as one of the best midfielders of the World Cup.

Amrabat made more recoveries than anyone else and his authoritative defending up against Kylian Mbappe was one of the highlights of Morocco’s defending might. 

Amrabat averaged 3.2 regains and two fouls per game, an essential presence in preventing Morocco’s defence being overrun.

Romain Saïss

Romain Saïss is the relatively unknown captain who was key to the outstanding defence of this team that didn’t allow any goal from any opposition foot until the semi-finals.

WIth him the defence, his team conceded one goal in the tournament before the semifinal, and it was an own goal. It defended in an almost old-fashioned way, sitting deep, throwing bodies on the line, absorbing pressure.

Saïss stood out, partly because he played at least some part in all six games before the third-place match, and partly because he played on courageously despite a hamstring injury.

Azzedine Ounahi

Morocco’s Ounahi was one of the revelations of the tournament. At 22, the Angers midfielder is just getting started and has a huge future in the game.

At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he was one of Morocco’s best players on their way to a historic semi-final finish.

Noussair Mazraoui

Mazraoui showed his quality in Qatar, despite missing the quarterfinal win over Portugal.

He averaged 2.8 tackles per game, testament to his aggression and constant snapping at opponents.