Morocco had the most difficult path and still won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
They beat Spain and Brazil to win the Group of Death. They upset USA 3-1 in Rancagua despite only 7 shots on goal and 26 percent of possession. They outlasted France in penalties in the semi-final in Valparaiso. And then in the final in Santiago, they faced undefeated Argentina, who had outscored opponents 15 to 2, and who had won the tournament six times previously.
But Morocco had many of the 45,000 spectators on their side, including Chileans who cheered for the underdogs from Africa.
Yassir Zabiri scored two early goals, and Morocco weathered relentess pressure by Argentina to win their first ever FIFA title, and the first U20 World Cup for Africa since Ghana won the continent’s first in 2009.
Zabiri’s first goal was controversial after a collision with Argentina’s keeper.
The referees, upon review, awarded Morocco a free kick, which Zabiri artfully curved around the wall and into the top corner.
With Argentina reeling in disbelief, Morocco’s Ismael Baouf recovered the ball and fed their captain Othmane Maamma, whose perfectly-weighted cross was volleyed home by Zabiri.
“We knew that Argentina have lots of experience. They have history on their side, and that helps a lot,” Morocco’s head coach Mohamed Ouahbi said after the match. “We were expecting them to play aggressively, so we had to keep our composure and we did that brilliantly. It’s difficult to analyze tactics with all the emotions running high, but we scored early and managed to hurt them with balls in behind. They’ve got some really talented players, but we fought hard and defended our box well.”
Argentina, desperate to get on the board, inserted super-sub striker Mateo Silvetti near the end of the first half instead of the second. Silvetti charged down the right and outmuscled a defender, but pulled his shot wide.
Maamma then nearly scored before Argentina’s Juan Villalba bailed out his keeper.
Argentina missed golden opportunities in the second half. Striker Maher Carrizo blasted a free kick over the bar, and substitute Ian Subiabre angled a volley too high after a bending pass from Gianluca Prestianni.
Argentina dominated possession and won several corners, but Moroccan defenders such as Baouf and Fouad Zahouani kept them distant from goalkeeper Ibrahim Gomis.
“If they get ahead, they drop back as a team,” said Argentina coach Diego Placente after the match. “They sat back and let the opposition run at them in every match. While they may not keep possession, they are quick to spring into action and counter-attack. We struggled with that. By the time we got back into the game, we were already 2-0 down and just couldn’t find the goal to put us back in contention.”
After the final whistle, several Argentina players collapsed onto the pitch, shocked to lose their first FIFA U-20 World Cup final since Brazil with Dunga and Bebeto beat them in Mexico in 1983.
The Moroccan players rushed off the pitch to revel with their fans, who stayed long after the game for selfies with Zabiri, Maamma and other players who have become instant national heroes in Morocco.
Maamma won the Adidas Golden Ball for best player in the tournament. Former winners include Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Paul Pogba.
“You can’t imagine it. We’ve never done it before,” Maamma told FIFA before the match. “Just to get to the final, or even the semi-final like we did 20 years ago, is something that we’ll never forget. It’s an incredible feeling that I wish everyone in the world could experience. Honestly, it’s magical. You feel even more emotions and feelings as it goes on.”
Maamma told FIFA that his teammates didn’t even think about going back to their league clubs. They wanted to succeed as much as possible in the tournament because of their talent, coaching and fan support. “We play because we know that they are behind us. It feels good to play for the people of Morocco. And we all decided that we had to play with heart and for the shirt because this shirt carries a lot of weight. You really have to wear it with honour.”
“Legends of the game such as Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Erling Haaland, Thierry Henry and countless others have played in this tournament,” he added. “How does it feel to follow in their footsteps? It’s amazing. Now, we have to write our own chapter.”
Two decades ago, Morocco reached the semi-finals of the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands. Fathi Jamal, who led that team, is now director of technical development at the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. “The common thread between the Chile 2025 and Netherlands 2005 teams is their love for their country and their sincere desire to represent it in the best possible way,” Jamal told FIFA. “Both of these generations are passionate, determined to succeed, tremendously talented and capable of delivering at a high level on the pitch. As for the difference, it lies in maturity and organization. The 2005 generation were very talented, but they lacked sufficient guidance and support. Some players struggled with media pressure or chose unsuitable professional paths. This Chile 2025 team, on the other hand, come from a better environment in terms of preparation and training, with strong academies and clear development programs, as well as a capable technical set-up with continuous support from coaches and administrators.”
After finishing fourth at the World Cup in Qatar 2022, winning bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and now winning the U20 World Cup, coach Ouahbi predicted more success for Morocco. “Morocco have always been a technically gifted team, and now we have added more physicality, better tactics and a winning mentality,” Ouahbi told a press conference. “After beating Brazil, we knew we’d be top of the group, but that wasn’t enough. We had to keep winning. We wanted to finish on the podium, and that’s what we told the players. Now we’re world champions and Morocco want to win a senior tournament, and not just by 2030. We’re going to give it a shot in 2026. We’re not going to wait another four years.”
“The Chilean fans have showered us with love since day one,” he added. “The way they looked after us and treated us, both on and off the pitch and at the hotel, has been incredible. It means a great deal because this project has been in the works for many years. It’s momentous for us because it means we’re close to winning the World Cup. We already have players capable of competing against the best.”
words and images Christopher Johnson Globalite Media all rights reserved
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