An ex-Morocco footballer has insisted the African giants will win the next Africa Cup of Nations despite being knocked out of the most recent edition by South Africa.
Bafana Bafana knocked the Atlas Lions out of AFCON 2023 at the round of 16 stage, beating them by two goals to nil to conclude what many consider to have been an underwhelming campaign for the one-time African champions.
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Walid Regragui and his men were thus sent packing, sparking concerns around his future as the nation's head coach.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation, however, later confirmed that it had "renewed its confidence" in the man who led the side to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
1985 African Player of the Year Mohamed Timoumi has now explained what he feels was the reason behind the side's AFCON campaign-ending loss to South Africa.
"The Moroccan fans were very aspiring to win the African title in Cote d'Ivoire, or at least reaching the final stages, but there is a big difference between reality, hopes and ambitions, and the 2023 edition was full of lessons and oddities," he told Kooora.
"There are factors such as the difficult weather and climatic conditions, to which the Moroccan stars did not adapt, because the humidity was stifling, and the preparation for the match against South Africa in the 16 final was not successful, and therefore we must turn this page and look to the future and the expected bet."
With the Atlas Lions now focused on AFCON 2025 – which will be hosted in Morocco – and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the retired midfielder went on to express his confidence in the current crop of players' ability to win the country's first continental prize since 1976.
"We are counting a lot on this generation, for whom we will not deny the saga of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and therefore we must mobilise and motivate from now on and support coach Walid Regragui and the players to win the title on our home soil, and among our fans to win a title that has been absent from the Atlas Lions since the 1976 edition.
"We have a distinguished generation, and the climatic conditions will not be an obstacle with the ground factor and the public, which is why it is an important bet for the Atlas Lions, and therefore we must prepare well and respect the development of the opponents.
"Once we reach the World Cup finals, it is no longer possible to debate according to the new system, unlike the previous format.
"We [reached] fourth in the world, and I will never forget my presence in Qatar to support the Moroccan players, because they brought back memories of the World Cup in Mexico."
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