Morocco’s head coach, Walid Regragui has stated he will ring changes when his side clash with Zambia in Lusaka on Monday in match day seven of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cul qualifiers.
Walid’s Atlas Lions mauled Niger 5-0 to last Friday to become the first African side to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup before heading to Lusaka to confront Zambia.
Speaking after the Niger win, Waild stated he will give a chance to other players but they will remain focused.
“I might change about 80% of the starting eleven because some players, like Hakimi, need rest. But we trust the substitutes because they can make an impact,” he added.
He further explained that though there will be lining up the reserves, any player picked knows what it means to play for the country and the expectations.
“When we play for Morocco, we must always look for victory,” he said. “The fans expect a lot from us and we are here to make them happy, Inshallah.”
“Zambia want to prove their place in Africa. It will be a big game and we hope the fans enjoy a good spectacle,” he explained.
The coach dismissed suggestions that Morocco rely primarily on their defensive solidity. “Unlike what some believe, we have the strongest attack in the qualifiers. We scored more than 40 goals in 12 matches, which shows we have quality across the pitch.”
Regragui added that the team know how to adapt to different situations. “Sometimes we have to defend because the opponent is strong, sometimes we use our attacking power to settle things. The key is to respect the rival and work seriously.”
Looking ahead, he pointed to the long-term ambition: “We want to remain at the top in Africa and the world, and we will continue to work to meet the expectations of Moroccans.”
Morocco lead Group E on 18 points, with two fixtures still to play against Zambia on Monday and Congo Brazzaville in October.
Morocco will host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) later this year. They will face Zambia again in the group phase of the competition – making this a dress rehearsal for the ‘big fish’ in December.
Morocco will be hoping to end their 49-year AFCON trophy drought on home soil.
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