Morocco coach Regragui steps down, under-23s manager set to take over for World Cup

[p]Regragui took [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] to the World ‌Cup semi-final in Qatar in 2022 and was also at the helm ‌in January when Morocco lost in the final ‌of the Africa Cup of Nations but has quit citing exhaustion.[/p][p][b]Mohamed ‌Ouahbi will take over as coach, reports said. He ‌was in charge when Morocco won the U-20 World Cup in Chile last year.[/b][/p][p]The 50-year-old Regragui had been the target of supporter ‌criticism despite a stellar record of 36 ⁠wins in 49 matches ‌with eight draws and only five losses since taking over in ​September 2022.[/p][p]During that time, Morocco recorded the best achievement by an African country at the World Cup ​and set a new world record for the most successive wins by a national team – a total of 19 ⁠between June 2024 and ​last December.[/p][embed guid="da6a1e2c-6319-4f62-b70f-cf09b3822c64" url="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVg7hU_imda/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" social-type="instagram" /][p][b]According to multiple reports, Regragui had wanted to quit after Morocco lost a controversial Nations Cup final to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a] in January in a tournament they hosted and where they ‌were hoping to end 50 years without success in the continental championship.[/b][/p][p][b]He said he was worn out after almost four years in the post but had been persuaded to delay his decision until Morocco had found a successor.[/b][/p][p]Morocco play two friendly internationals later this month as they prepare for the World Cup, which kicks off in June. They take on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ecuador/8tbm8Tri/"]Ecuador[/a] in Madrid on March 27 and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paraguay/YaNlqp6j/"]‌Paraguay[/a] in Lens, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] four days later.[/p][p]At the World Cup, ​Morocco compete in Group C with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/haiti/nk4v10Z1/"]‌Haiti[/a].[/p][p]In a message to Regragui on social media, Morocco captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hakimi-achraf/MqFBkBsp/"]Achraf Hakimi[/a] said: “Thank you for the incredible work you did leading the Moroccan national team. Your leadership, passion, and vision inspired not only the players, but ⁠also an entire country ⁠and millions of fans ‌around the world.”[/p]