Morocco’s coach: No one is like Brazil… and this is my take on Senegal’s celebrations

“We’re happy, because that’s what I’ve been saying from the start: we’re preparing for the World Cup, but at the same time we want to win matches,” said Wahbi, as reported by the Moroccan website “Al-Batal”, emphasising the importance of striking a balance between preparation and results.

He explained, “We’ve made changes, but we didn’t want to change the whole team, because that’s important too. When we change a large number of players, they aren’t always in the best conditions to show their potential.”

The Moroccan coach added, “We kept three or four key players to help some of the younger players settle in, and it was important to maintain balance and give everyone a chance.”

He continued, “I wanted to give some players playing time, and perhaps the intensity dropped a little, which is normal in friendly matches after the 65th minute.”

He also revealed the instructions he gave at half-time: “I asked the players to be patient, whilst correcting some details in their positioning and creating more pace in our play.”

Wahbi emphasised that during this training camp he had sought to raise the level of competition among the players, saying: “I wanted the players to make my decision harder regarding the selection for the World Cup squad, through good performances and securing a win.”

He also praised the performance of the Paraguayan team, noting the difficulty of the match: “We played against a strong side, one that was more cohesive and aggressive, and they didn’t leave us with many options, particularly in the first half.”

Wahbi explained, “In the first half, we tried to get into the box, then we made some adjustments at half-time, and there was a clear improvement in the second half.”

Wahbi also spoke of the strength of the Moroccan fans and their massive turnout to support the national team across the globe, noting that this gives him the motivation and ambition not to let them down.

“In the stands, it’s unbelievable; no matter which city the Moroccan national team plays in, the stadium is always full,” he said.

He added, “What’s more, and what’s truly impressive, is the fans coming out from the hotel, onto the motorways, upon arrival at the airport – wherever we go, regardless of the city. I know this for a fact; a large number of fans even came to Chile to support the Moroccan youth team.”

Wahbi continued, “This is proof that all Moroccans today are very proud of this team and what it represents. We, too, know what we represent; we represent this people, and we are very proud to represent this country and this people.”

He concluded his remarks on the fans by saying, “Therefore, we continue with the same ambition so as not to disappoint anyone, and above all to uphold our values; this will be of the utmost importance.”

On a different note, Wahbi said that the Senegal national team’s celebrations at the Stade de France during the friendly against Peru were of no significance to him, emphasising that his focus is on the 2026 World Cup.

He said, “I had a lot of things to do, which meant I couldn’t focus on what was happening outside; I was concerned with what was necessary, and here I’m talking about my squad and our matches.”

The coach continued, “I’ve spoken about everything, and I can’t comment on what’s happening elsewhere. Everyone does as they please, and it’s CAF that makes the decisions. Frankly, I haven’t given the matter any thought.”

He concluded, “I know nothing, and I’m speaking frankly here. Our aim is not to focus on the past because we have a strong squad, and we’re only interested in preparing for the upcoming World Cup.”

Wahbi acknowledged the strength of the Brazilian national team ahead of their upcoming clash at the 2026 World Cup, noting that no other team is quite like the Seleção.

The Moroccan coach said, “There is no team in the world like Brazil, and when you want to prepare to face them, the best solution is to play against their second team.”

He added, “I wasn’t the one who set the friendly match schedule, but I was happy to play against two teams, each with a different style, yet both sharing aggression, intensity and technical quality.”

Wahbi explained that facing Ecuador and Paraguay means preparing for all the teams in the group, including Brazil and Scotland, and not just the Samba Boys.

Wahbi concluded: “What caught my attention was facing two strong teams, and I don’t think Brazil can be compared to any other team.”