A global boost: Morocco accepts Brazil's gift and awaits Portugal's fall

Morocco received a precious gift from Brazil, after the latter's surprise defeat to Japan helped change the shape of the competition for the leading positions in the world rankings, handing the Atlas Lions the chance to advance a further step towards the top five.

Morocco climbed one place in FIFA's world rankings after thrashing Niger 5-0 on Friday evening in the third round of qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The win lifted Morocco to sixth in the rankings with 1805 points, helped along by Brazil's 3-0 defeat to Japan. That result dropped Brazil to seventh on 1800 points.

Another test against Niger awaits the Atlas Lions next Tuesday at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Mohamed Ouahbi's side want a repeat victory and a further boost on the global stage.

Beat Niger again and Morocco can strengthen their position without waiting on the result of the friendly between Brazil and Singapore.

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Moroccan eyes are also fixed on tonight's clash between Portugal and Denmark in the fifth and penultimate round of the UEFA Nations League group stage. The two nations sit almost level on the world rankings ladder.

Just half a point separates Morocco from Portugal under current FIFA calculations. That makes the result directly influential on where both teams land in the next update.

Should Portugal slip up, they would drop to sixth and Morocco would rise to fifth, cementing a place among the world's top five.

Morocco reached fifth place in the FIFA men's world rankings in October 2026, matching the best African ranking ever, set by Nigeria's Super Eagles back in April 1994.

That followed a strong September and October, with the Atlas Lions beating Gabon in the first round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and then Lesotho in the second.

A major leap for Morocco since the Qatar World Cup achievement

Morocco stood 22nd in the world before the Qatar World Cup kicked off. By the end of the 2022 tournament, the Atlas Lions had surged to 11th. Since then they slipped only as far as 14th, where they finished 2024, before climbing again to end 2025 in 11th. They then hit eighth in January 2026, their first appearance in the top 10 since April 1998, when they ranked tenth.

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journalism and writing are a passion before they are a profession. Since taking my first steps down this path in late 2010, I have been weaving my stories across the pages of Egyptian and Arab websites. I don’t view sports in general—and soccer in particular—as merely a game, but rather as a canvas of life that reflects the pulse of societies and carries within it social and cultural stories that intertwine with the threads of politics to shape people’s consciousness.

I delve into covering and analyzing soccer from multiple angles: I cover the game from multiple angles where storytelling meets analysis, and where the pitch connects to broader social and cultural narratives.

Over time and as my experience grew, my passion expanded to draw connections between the economics of the game, modern technology, and cryptocurrencies—all of which have become part of a soccer industry that extends far beyond the boundaries of the field.

My experience has spanned several prominent Arab outlets: in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, such as Goal (Saudi edition) and Koora, where I have worked as a multi-tasking desk editor since 2019."I don't just cover stories, I find them where others aren't looking, then reshape them until they're worth reading.

with analytical depth and a human touch to deliver an unforgettable story to the reader.

My Story with Soccer

My passion for soccer began early, specifically at the age of six during the 1994 World Cup. The atmosphere at home was different; the whole family was awake to watch the matches even though they were broadcast at dawn, and that is where my true passion was born. I was captivated by Romário’s mesmerizing skills, amazed by Thomas Brulin, and impressed by the physical and technical prowess of the Nigerian national team led by the late Rashidi Yakini, while the image of Roberto Baggio missing his penalty kick in the final remains etched in my memory as the first dramatic moment I experienced with the game.

As the years passed and my fascination with international soccer grew, certain matches remained defining moments in my football education, such as the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Spain’s Alavés—that wild 5-4 clash whose intensity didn’t subside until the 117th minute, when an own goal sealed the title for the Reds, cementing it in my memory as an unforgettable match.

My Best Soccer Memories

Unforgettable moments include Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League victory, Liverpool’s historic 2005 final, and Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 African Cup of Nations triumphs under Hassan Shehata.

My All-Time Team

Buffon

Cafu - Paolo Maldini - Ramos - Roberto Carlos

Zinedine Zidane - Iniesta

Diego Maradona

Lionel Messi - Ronaldo “The Phenomenon” - Cristiano Ronaldo

My Favorite Articles:

The Ronaldo Mystery... Death in a Foreign Land!

Third dimension.. Barefoot... Has Messi Really Settled

The Debate Over the Greatest of All Time?

(2) Messi Chases Pelé... Has the Debate Over the Greatest of All Time Really Been Settled?

Third dimension: The Terrifying Test... Salah Inherits the Crown of the Seven Years