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Fawzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, stressed that the achievements achieved by Moroccan football represent pride for Arabs and Africans alike, noting that the national team represents the Kingdom on behalf of Africa and the Arab world.
In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Lakjaa thanked the Arab fans who supported Morocco, especially after the historic crowning of the U-20 World Cup title.
The success story begins with a wise royal vision
Lakjaa explained that the brilliance of Moroccan football was not the result of coincidence, but rather the result of a royal vision that began in 2008 during the Skhirat debate, which drew a road map for the development of national football at all levels. He added that the inauguration of the Mohammed VI Football Academy in 2009 was a pivotal turning point, as it produced many stars who shone in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and today it includes more than eight players participating in the 2025 Youth World Cup in Chile.
Mohammed VI Academy…the golden nursery of Moroccan football
Lakjaa considered that the academy is the beating heart of national football, as players and executives who today represent various national teams have graduated from it. He stressed that this sporting success is the result of the proactive vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who made sport a lever for economic and social development, and a field for integrating young people and protecting them from fragility.
Forming frameworks…a royal strategic choice
Lakjaa pointed out that training players and coaches was always a strategic direction in the royal project, which produced a generation of distinguished national leaders, such as Tariq Sektioui, who won bronze at the Paris Olympics, Walid Regragui, the World Cup winner, Mohamed Wehbe, the world champion with the under-20 team, and Nabil Baha, the African champion with the under-17 team, along with Amouta, Al-Salami, and Al-Dakik. In ballroom.
“The Moroccan Exception”… from an achievement to a future project
Lakjaa said, “Today the world is talking about the Moroccan exception,” stressing that the slogan of this stage is that the impossible is not Moroccan, and that what has been achieved is the result of a precise implementation of the royal vision, within a comprehensive development project that integrates sports, economic, and social matters. He added that work is continuing in all age groups to achieve continuity of excellence.
An honorable outcome and a vision for the future
Lakjaa reviewed the outcome of the last eleven years, during which Moroccan teams and clubs participated in 29 finals, winning 25 of them, considering this “just the beginning of playing among the international seniors.” He also highlighted that the national teams are adopting a policy of gradual integration between groups, without rupture, to ensure artistic continuity.
Sports are part of the national development project
Speaking about the organization of the African Cup, Lakjaa stressed that Morocco is experiencing a development process led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God grant him victory, explaining that the Kingdom did not wait for major events to achieve development, but rather made sport part of its comprehensive path. He concluded by emphasizing that what matters to Morocco is that the 2025 Africa Cup be an elegant African football celebration that translates the lofty royal vision and highlights the true face of the continent.
