In the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, Morocco edged past Nigeria 4-2 in a penalty shootout to advance to the final. After the match, Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi attended the post-match interview.
Hakimi said, “We are extremely happy and proud—words really can’t describe this feeling. This is a unique moment for us, and we have made history again. The team deserves all of this, so does the coaching staff, and every single Moroccan. We are truly delighted; we want to savor this moment today, but the job is not done yet. The best moment will come in the final on January 18.”
“The entire team put in an incredible effort and defended rock-solidly. We didn’t give the opponents any time to create chances—that’s our biggest strength. In terms of possession, we also created opportunities. Unfortunately, those chances didn’t turn into goals today, but we stayed focused throughout the game and showed immense mental toughness.”
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui, who had been heavily criticized by fans during the tournament, let his emotions run wild when the final whistle blew, standing on the pitch of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat with tears almost in his eyes.
Regragui said, “We are overjoyed, because we know these fans deserve to see another Africa Cup of Nations final—they deserve a great team. It’s true that I was once questioned and booed… but that’s okay, we’ve accepted it all. This team has really protected me, and the players love their head coach. As I told them, they need to repay me with their performances on the pitch. Now, criticism is part of football; we accept it, no matter how hard we work.”
“We know that in Morocco, even a single defeat or draw can be seen as a disaster. But we stayed focused from start to finish, and now we are over the moon. This victory is dedicated to the fans, because we know that 90% of them are behind this team, and they want to see us lift the trophy.”
