Morocco at the FIFA World Cup - Six Previous Tournaments, 2022 Semi-Finalists
Morocco has been a trailblazer for African and Arab nations in the FIFA World Cup. Starting with their debut in 1970 as the first African team to earn a point, Morocco's historic campaign peaked in 2022 when they reached the semi-finals—the first for any African or Arab nation. Over six tournaments, Morocco's journey includes group stage milestones, a memorable 1986 Round of 16 run, and consistent strong performances, with notable players and goal scorers marking their legacy in world football.
- Morocco was the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final (2022).
- Their debut in 1970 saw them earn Africa's first World Cup point.
- Key achievements include topping the group in 1986 and the heroic 2022 upsets.
Walid Regragui led Morocco to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup (Getty Images).
Morocco at the FIFA World Cup
Morocco are one of Africa’s most successful World Cup nations and made history in 2022 by becoming the first African and Arab country to reach the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup.
| Year | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals Scored | Goals Conceded | Stage Reached |
| 1970 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | Group Stage |
| 1986 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Round of 16 |
| 1994 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | Group Stage |
| 1998 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | Group Stage |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Group Stage |
| 2022 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | Semi-finals (4th place) |
| Total | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 27 | — |
1970 FIFA World Cup — Mexico
Morocco became the first African nation to earn a point at a World Cup finals tournament.
They opened with defeats to West Germany and Peru but finished with a historic 1–1 draw against Bulgaria.
Houmane Jarir scored Morocco’s first-ever World Cup goal. Although they exited in the group stage, the tournament marked an important milestone for African football.
Coach: Blagoje Vidinić
Goalscorers: Houmane Jarir, Maouhoub Ghazouani
End Result: Group Stage
1986 FIFA World Cup — Mexico
This was Morocco’s breakthrough tournament and one of the greatest World Cup performances by an African team at the time.
Under Brazilian coach José Faria, Morocco topped a difficult group containing England, Poland, and Portugal. They defeated Portugal 3–1 with goals from Abderrazak Khairi (2) and Abdelkrim Merry “Krimau”.
Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to reach the Round of 16 before narrowly losing 1–0 to West Germany through a late Lothar Matthäus free-kick.
Coach: José Faria
Top goalscorer: Abderrazak Khairi (2 goals)
End Result: Round of 16
1994 FIFA World Cup — United States
Morocco returned after missing the 1990 tournament but struggled in a difficult group.
They lost all three matches against Belgium, Saudi Arabia, and the Netherlands. Despite elimination, Hassan Nader and Mohammed Chaouch scored Morocco’s goals during the tournament.
Coach: Abdellah Blinda
Goalscorers: Hassan Nader, Mohammed Chaouch
End Result: Group Stage
1998 FIFA World Cup — France
Morocco produced one of their strongest group-stage campaigns but were unlucky to be eliminated.
After drawing 2–2 with Norway and losing narrowly to Brazil, Morocco defeated Scotland 3–0 in their final game with goals from Abdeljalil Hadda, Salaheddine Bassir, and Mustapha Hadji.
However, Norway’s surprise victory over Brazil denied Morocco a place in the knockout rounds.
Coach: Henri Michel
Top goalscorer: Salaheddine Bassir (2 goals)
End Result: Group Stage
2018 FIFA World Cup — Russia
Morocco returned to the World Cup after a 20-year absence under coach Hervé Renard.
They were highly competitive but suffered narrow defeats to Iran and Portugal before drawing 2–2 with Spain in an entertaining final group match. Khalid Boutaïb and Youssef En-Nesyri scored Morocco’s goals.
Despite early elimination, Morocco impressed many observers with their organisation and attacking quality.
Coach: Hervé Renard
Goalscorers: Khalid Boutaïb, Youssef En-Nesyri
End Result: Group Stage
2022 FIFA World Cup — Qatar
This was Morocco’s greatest-ever World Cup campaign.
Led by coach Walid Regragui, Morocco topped a group containing Croatia, Belgium, and Canada. They then defeated Spain on penalties in the Round of 16 and beat Portugal 1–0 in the quarter-finals through a Youssef En-Nesyri header.
Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals before losing to France and then Croatia in the third-place match. Sofiane Boufal, Hakim Ziyech, Zakaria Aboukhlal, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Youssef En-Nesyri, and an own goal contributed to Morocco’s scoring tally.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was one of the stars of the tournament, especially in the penalty shootout victory over Spain.
Coach: Walid Regragui
Top goalscorer: Youssef En-Nesyri (2 goals)
End Result: Semi-finals (4th place)
Key World Cup Facts
- First World Cup appearance: 1970
- Best finish: Semi-finals (2022)
- First African team to top a World Cup group: 1986
- First African and Arab team to reach the semi-finals: 2022
- All-time World Cup top scorers for Morocco: Salaheddine Bassir, Abderrazak Khairi, Youssef En-Nesyri (2 each)
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