Algeria Football – To prevent the Algerian team from winning the African Cup of Nations (CAN), Walid Regragui’s Morocco is taking action.
Walid Regragui, Morocco coach, continues to strengthen the ranks of the Atlas Lions by diversifying his offensive options. As the team prepares to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil and aim high for the 2026 World Cup in North America, Regragui is closely scrutinizing emerging talent El Mehdi Maouhoub, a 21-year-old striker playing at Dynamo Moscow.
A former Raja Casablanca player, Maouhoub has been shining in Russia since his transfer, marked by impressive performances following his remarkable participation at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he helped secure a historic bronze medal for Morocco. This success, which raised his profile, now attracts the attention of the national technical staff.
Regragui, known for his demands and his strategic vision, tasked his deputies, notably Rashid Benmhamoud and Abdelaziz Bouhzemza, with carefully assessing Maouhoub’s potential. This report, based on detailed statistics and an analysis of his performances in Moscow, could lead to his summons for the March 2025 gathering at the Mohammed VI Center in Rabat.
This proactive approach illustrates the Moroccan coach’s ambition to create healthy competition, particularly in attack, where there are already players of caliber such as Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahçe), Sofiane Rahimi (Al-Ain), and Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos). The arrival of Maouhoub could inject new dynamics, increasing Regragui’s strategic options.
Through this approach, Morocco confirms its desire to fully exploit its pool of talent, both national and playing abroad, to consolidate its place among the best African and international teams. Morocco’s objective is clear: build a competitive team capable of shining at home during the CAN and prevent direct competitors from seizing the trophy like Algeria.
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