Morocco coach Walid Regragui is convinced that an African team will win the World Cup in “fifteen, twenty years”, provided they work hard and gain experience, he said on Saturday after the defeat in the third-place match.
"Congratulations to Croatia, they are a very good team, they deserve their third place,” Regragui said. “They have a lot of experience, they knew how to manage the match. We were not at the level we wanted, especially in the first half. In the second half it was better, but they were able to hold on to the result.”
Morocco, the first African nation to reach the semi-finals, finished their World Cup in fourth place. “After the final, we will take stock and realise that Morocco’s campaign was exceptional. We only played against great teams, we only had big games. We showed that in Africa we work, that we have learned."
Related News
- World Cup: No incidents in central Brussels after Croatia-Morocco match
- Belgium in Brief: A reflection of raw Moroccan reality
"The objective of Africans and Morocco is to win the World Cup one day. Morocco has shown that we are capable, that we are not far away. The matches were played on details. Morocco’s run will have an impact on African football," Regragui believes.
“The bar is high now, there will be a lot of pressure… My job is to bring it down to earth. Mourinho talks about the DNA of winning. This DNA also exists in the national team. Croatia can beat us because they have this experience... In fifteen or twenty years, I am convinced that an African team will win the World Cup because we will have learned... With work, with desire. This DNA is not just for Morocco, but for the continent.
