Coach Walid Regragui has stated that Morocco, who will face defending champions France in the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday, are not content with reaching the final four.
“If we are happy just to reach the semifinal and others see it as enough, I don’t agree,” Regragui said at a press conference. “If you get to the semifinals and you are not hungry, then there is a problem. The best team in the tournament, Brazil, is already out. We are an ambitious team, and we are hungry but I don’t know if that will be enough.”
Even though Morocco is the first African team to go to the semifinals, Regragui is focused on making even more history. “We want Africa to be top of the world, but we will have to be strong to progress. We are not the favourites, but we are confident – maybe that makes me mad, crazy? A bit of crazy can be good,” he stated.
“Everyone might think we are tired; they said that before the last games, too, you can’t be tired in a World Cup semi. Yes, we are still hungry,” he added. The Morocco coach was quick to offer a reminder that his team had upset Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds to set up their last four meeting with Didier Deschamps’ side.
“We had perhaps the most difficult route to the semis. People thought we would get knocked out every round, but we are still here, and we are going to fight to the end,” he said. Morocco has several injury concerns, including key central defender Romain Saiss but Regragui said there was no decision yet on their fitness.
“We have several injuries, but we have an excellent medical staff who are working hard and coming with good news every day,” said Regragui. “We will have to wait until the last minute; we tend to do that, no one is out, but no one is definitely in either,” he added.