Algeria Football– The former coach of the Moroccan national team, the Bosnian Vahid Halilhodžić, has once again made headlines by issuing statements that risk sparking heated controversy. During an interview with the official Al Ahly club channel, Halilhodžić surprised by excluding Morocco from his list of the best current African selections, despite the remarkable performances of the Atlas Lions in recent years.
Asked about the team he considers to be the best on the African continent, the 72-year-old technician replied: “The best team in Africa at the moment is Ivory Coast. She won the last African Cup of Nations. Then I would say Algeria, Senegal, Egypt and Cameroon. » Halilhodžić made no mention of Morocco, an omission which is particularly striking when we remember that the Moroccans reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a historic feat for an African and Arab team.
This sidelining of Morocco in Halilhodžić’s comments could be linked to the tensions which marked his departure from the selection in 2022. Despite having led the Atlas Lions to qualify for the Qatari World Cup, the Bosnian had been dismissed a few months before the start of the tournament, a decision that he never digested. “They took away my honor. It was supposed to be the conclusion of my coaching career, and they took it away from me. I can never forget that,” he said at the time.
Halilhodžić, known for his controversial successes and failures, qualified four national teams for the World Cup (Ivory Coast, Japan, Algeria and Morocco), but he only participated in the competition once, with Algeria in 2014. Under his leadership, the Fennecs achieved a memorable performance by reaching the round of 16, only losing to Germany, the future winner, in an epic match (2-1).
It is true that the Atlas Lions disappointed during CAN 2023 in Ivory Coast, leaving the competition in the round of 16 after a defeat against South Africa (2-0). However, their recent success in qualifying and their domination against several African opponents remains undeniable.
Halilhodžić’s omission of Morocco can also be explained by his strained relationship with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, but his comments risk reigniting debates about his legacy as a coach and his relationship to African football.
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