British Daily “The Times”: The Mohammed VI Academy Is the Symbol of a Football Culture at the Forefront of Modernity
The British daily The Times highlighted, in an article published online on Thursday evening, the crucial role played by the prestigious Mohammed VI Football Academy, which, according to the London-based newspaper, illustrates the profound transformation of Moroccan football.
Through state-of-the-art infrastructure, demanding training standards and a long-term vision, Morocco is now establishing itself as a model in talent development, revealing a modern, structured and ambitious football culture, the newspaper writes.
The current Moroccan national team, coached by Walid Regragui, includes several pure products of the Mohammed VI Academy, notes the newspaper, citing Nayef Aguerd, former West Ham United player, Azzedine Ounahi and Youssef En-Nesyri.
These players formed the backbone of the team that finished fourth at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, The Times points out, stressing that this achievement illustrates the role of the Mohammed VI Academy, an institution that continues to produce Moroccan football prodigies.
The academy was also strongly represented within the Moroccan team that won the Under-20 World Cup last October, another first for the country and a reassuring confirmation that Morocco has many other young talents around whom the future is being built, the newspaper continues.
All of these elements reinforce Morocco’s status as the leading favorite to win the Africa Cup of Nations CAN 2025, which will kick off on Sunday in the Kingdom, the publication underlines.
The newspaper also looks at the Lions of the Atlas’ chances of winning this year’s AFCON, highlighting the meteoric rise of Regragui’s side, who have recorded 15 consecutive victories, a world record.
Moroccan players, most of whom play for major European clubs, will not complain about leaving their teams mid-season to showcase their talent in an environment that has nothing to envy the most advanced countries.
AFCON 2025 will be played in stadiums equipped with cutting-edge technology, the newspaper notes, adding that over the next five weeks, impressive venues such as the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat and the Grand Stade of Tangier will serve as a showcase ahead of the final phases of the 2030 World Cup, which the Kingdom will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca, currently under construction and set to accommodate 115,000 spectators, will be added to these high-quality facilities, the newspaper further indicates, stressing that Morocco is asserting itself as a nation determined to take the lead in football not only in Africa, but also on a global scale.
“It is phenomenal to see how much all of this has developed in such a short time,” Regragui is quoted as saying by The Times. “Today, what we have achieved means we envy no country in the world,” the national team coach adds.
Morocco is considered an African heavyweight when football is measured by resources and World Cup appearances, the newspaper notes, adding that the Lions of the Atlas now have a chance to break the jinx and win an AFCON title that has eluded them since 1976.
Editorial team/le7tv
