Morocco are one of Africa's major forces in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Historically, Morocco participated in the AFCON much later than other North African states. However, once Morocco made their debut in 1972, Morocco emerged and became a fearsome power of the tournament, becoming the second North African side to win the AFCON at 1976.[1] However, ever since the win, Morocco's best performance was only runners-up in 2004.[2] Morocco therefore, became the underachiever in the AFCON, in spite of their rich, prestigious records.
Morocco was initially scheduled to host the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, but was later ruled out after the fear of Ebola outbreak controversy.[3]
Overall record
edit| Africa Cup of Nations record | Africa Cup of Nations qualification record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
 1957 |
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1959
| |||||||||||||||
 1962 |
Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
 1963 |
Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||
 1965 |
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
| 1968
| |||||||||||||||
| 1970 |
Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
 1972 |
Group stage | 5th | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | |
 1974 |
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1976 |
Champions | 1st | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 4 | |
| 1978 |
Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | Qualified as defending champions | ||||||
 1980 |
Third place | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | |
 1982 |
Did not qualify | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | ||||||||
 1984
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||
 1986 |
Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
 1988 |
Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
 1990 |
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
 1992 |
Group stage | 9th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 4 | |
| 1994 |
Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||||||||
 1996
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||
 1998 |
Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2000
|
Group stage | 11th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |
 2002
|
9th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||
 2004 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2006
|
Group stage | 13th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 7 | |
| 2008
|
11th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | ||
 2010 |
Did not qualify | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 13 | ||||||||
  2012
|
Group stage | 12th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2013
|
10th | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2015 |
Disqualified | Originally qualified as hosts, then disqualified | |||||||||||||
| 2017 |
Quarter-finals | 7th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2019 |
Round of 16 | 9th | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |
 2021 |
Quarter-finals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2023 |
Round of 16 | 11th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2025
|
Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | |||||||||||||
   2027
|
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
| Total | 1 Title | 20/35 | 74 | 29 | 25 | 20 | 87 | 66 | 122 | 66 | 31 | 25 | 190 | 84 | |
By match
edit- – Win
- – Draw
- – Lose
| AFCON tournament | Round | Date | Opponent | Score | Morocco scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972
|
Group stage | 25 February 1972 |  Congo
|
1–1 | Faras |
| 27 February 1972 |  Sudan
|
1–1 | Faras | ||
| 29 February 1972 |  Zaire
|
1–1 | Faras | ||
| 1976
|
Group stage | 1 March 1976 | Sudan
|
1–1 | Fetoui, Abouali |
| 4 March 1976 | Zaire
|
1–0 | Zahraoui | ||
| 6 March 1976 | Nigeria
|
3–1 | Faras, Tazi, Chebbak | ||
| Final round | 9 March 1976 | Egypt
|
2–1 | Faras, Zahraoui | |
| 11 March 1976 | Nigeria
|
2–1 | Faras, Guezzar | ||
| 14 March 1976 |  Guinea
|
1–1 | Makrouh | ||
| 1978
|
Group stage | 6 March 1978 | Tunisia
|
1–1 | Amcharrat |
| 9 March 1978 | Congo
|
1–0 | Amcharrat | ||
| 11 March 1978 | Uganda
|
0–3 | – | ||
| 1980
|
Group stage | 9 March 1980 | Guinea
|
1–1 | Mustapha |
| 13 March 1980 | Algeria
|
0–1 | – | ||
| 16 March 1980 | Ghana
|
1–0 | Labied | ||
| Semi-finals | 19 March 1980 | Nigeria
|
0–1 | – | |
| Third place | 21 March 1980 | Egypt
|
2–0 | Labied (2) | |
| 1986
|
Group stage | 8 March 1986 | Algeria
|
0–0 | – |
| 11 March 1986 | Cameroon
|
1–1 | Merry | ||
| 14 March 1986 |  Zambia
|
1–0 | Chilengi (o.g.) | ||
| Semi-finals | 17 March 1986 | Egypt
|
0–1 | – | |
| Third place | 20 March 1986 | Ivory Coast
|
2–3 | Rhiati, Sahil | |
| 1988
|
Group stage | 13 March 1988 | Zaire
|
1–1 | Merry (p) |
| 16 March 1988 | Algeria
|
1–0 | El Haddaoui | ||
| 19 March 1988 | Ivory Coast
|
0–0 | – | ||
| Semi-finals | 23 March 1988 | Cameroon
|
0–1 | – | |
| Third place | 23 March 1988 | Algeria
|
1–1 (3–4 p) |
Nader | |
| 1992
|
Group stage | 12 January 1992 | Cameroon
|
0–1 | – |
| 14 January 1992 | Zaire
|
1–1 | Rokbi | ||
| 1998
|
Group stage | 9 February 1998 |  Zambia
|
1–1 | Bahja |
| 13 January 1998 |  Mozambique
|
3–0 | Chiba, Elkhattabi, Fertout | ||
| 17 January 1998 | Egypt
|
1–0 | Hadji | ||
| Quarter-finals | 22 January 1998 | South Africa
|
1–2 | Chiba | |
| 2000
|
Group stage | 25 January 2000 |  Congo
|
1–0 | Bassir |
| 29 January 2000 | Tunisia
|
0–0 | – | ||
| 3 February 2000 | Nigeria
|
0–2 | – | ||
| 2002
|
Group stage | 21 January 2002 | Ghana
|
0–0 | – |
| 26 January 2002 | Burkina Faso
|
2–1 | Zerouali (2) | ||
| 30 January 2002 | South Africa
|
1–3 | Benmahmoud (p) | ||
| 2004
|
Group stage | 27 January 2004 | Nigeria
|
1–0 | Hadji |
| 31 January 2004 |  Benin
|
4–0 | Chamakh, Mokhtari, Ouaddou, El Karkouri | ||
| 4 February 2004 | South Africa
|
1–1 | Safri (p) | ||
| Quarter-finals | 8 February 2004 | Algeria
|
3–1 (a.e.t.) | Chamakh, Hadji, Zairi | |
| Semi-finals | 11 February 2004 | Mali
|
4–0 | Mokhtari (2), Hadji, Baha | |
| Final | 14 February 2004 | Tunisia
|
1–2 | Mokhtari | |
| 2006
|
Group stage | 20 January 2006 | Ivory Coast
|
0–1 | – |
| 24 January 2006 | Egypt
|
0–0 | – | ||
| 28 January 2006 | Libya
|
0–0 | – | ||
| 2008
|
Group stage | 21 January 2008 |  Namibia
|
5–1 | Alloudi (3), Sektioui, Zerka |
| 24 January 2008 | Guinea
|
2–3 | Aboucherouane, Ouaddou | ||
| 28 January 2008 | Ghana
|
0–2 | – | ||
| 2012
|
Group stage | 23 January 2012 | Tunisia
|
1–2 | Kharja |
| 27 January 2012 | Gabon
|
2–3 | Kharja (2) | ||
| 31 January 2012 |  Niger
|
1–0 | Belhanda | ||
| 2013
|
Group stage | 19 January 2013 | Angola
|
0–0 | – |
| 23 January 2013 |  Cape Verde
|
1–1 | El-Arabi | ||
| 27 January 2013 | South Africa
|
2–2 | El Adoua, Hafidi | ||
| 2017
|
Group stage | 16 January 2017 |  DR Congo
|
0–1 | – |
| 20 January 2017 |  Togo
|
3–1 | Bouhaddouz, Saïss, En-Nesyri | ||
| 24 January 2017 | Ivory Coast
|
1–0 | Alioui | ||
| Quarter-finals | 29 January 2017 | Egypt
|
0–1 | – | |
| 2019
|
Group stage | 23 June 2019 | Namibia
|
1–0 | Keimuine (o.g.) |
| 28 June 2019 | Ivory Coast
|
1–0 | En-Nesyri | ||
| 1 July 2019 | South Africa
|
1–0 | Boussoufa | ||
| Round of 16 | 5 July 2019 | Benin
|
1–1 (1–4 p) |
En-Nesyri | |
| 2021
|
Group stage | 10 January 2022 | Ghana
|
1–0 | Boufal |
| 14 January 2022 |  Comoros
|
2–0 | Amallah, Aboukhlal | ||
| 18 January 2022 | Gabon
|
2–2 | Boufal (p), Hakimi | ||
| Round of 16 | 25 January 2022 |  Malawi
|
2–1 | En-Nesyri, Hakimi | |
| Quarter-finals | 30 January 2022 | Egypt
|
1–2 (a.e.t.) | Boufal (p) | |
| 2023
|
Group stage | 17 January 2024 | Tanzania
|
3–0 | Saïss, Ounahi, En-Nesyri |
| 21 January 2024 | DR Congo
|
1–1 | Hakimi | ||
| 24 January 2024 | Zambia
|
1–0 | Ziyech | ||
| Round of 16 | 30 January 2024 | South Africa
|
0–2 | – |
Top goalscorers
edit| Rank | Player | Goals | Years (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahmed Faras | 6 | 1972 (3), 1976 (3) |
| 2 | Youssef En-Nesyri | 5 | 2017, 2019 (2), 2021, 2023 |
| 3 | Khalid Labied | 3 | 1980 (3) |
| Youssouf Hadji | 2004 (3) | ||
| Youssef Mokhtari | 2004 (3) | ||
| Soufiane Alloudi | 2008 (3) | ||
| Houssine Kharja | 2012 (3) | ||
| Sofiane Boufal | 2021 (3) | ||
| Achraf Hakimi | 2021 (2), 2023 |
Awards
editAFCON Top Scorer
edit- 1980: Khalid Labied (3 goals)
- 2004: Youssef Mokhtari (4 goals)
- 2012: Houssine Kharja (3 goals)
Team of the Tournament
edit- 1972: Allal Ben Kassou, Boujemaa Benkhrif[4]
- 1976: Mohammed Al-Hazaz, Mustapha "Chérif" Fetoui, Ahmed Faras
- 1978: Mohammed Al-Hazaz, Larbi Ihardane
- 1988: Tijani El Maataoui, Aziz Bouderbala
- 1998: Noureddine Naybet
- 2004: Walid Regragui, Abdeslam Ouaddou, Youssouf Hadji[5]
- 2012: Houssine Kharja(substitute)[6]
- 2017: Mbark Boussoufa(substitute)
- 2021: Achraf Hakimi[7]
Squads
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "CAN – Historique : 1976, le Maroc sur le toit de l'Afrique". December 19, 2014.
- ^ "Tunisia win Cup of Nations". February 14, 2004 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Kingsley, Patrick (November 11, 2014). "Morocco disqualified from next year's Africa Cup of Nations" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "African Nations Cup 1972 - Final Tournament Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- ^ "CAN 2004 L'équipe type de la CAN". rfi.fr. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
- ^ "Orange CAN 2012 Best XI". cafonline.com. 12 February 2012.
- ^ @CAF_Online (7 February 2022). "Not your average players Here is the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 best XI #AFCON2021" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 February 2022 – via Twitter.
External links
edit- Africa Cup of Nations – Archives competitions – cafonline.com