Who is Morocco’s new coach Mohamed Ouahbi? The man who already won them U20 World Cup

Morocco have appointed 49 year old Mohamed Ouahbi as the new head coach of the national team, starting a fresh chapter for the Atlas Lions. The Moroccan Football Federation has turned to a coach who understands the country’s football system deeply and has played a key role in developing its young players.

Inspired by the World Cup

Ouahbi was born in the Brussels Capital Region to a Moroccan Riffian family from Nador. He grew up and studied in Brussels, where his connection with football began early.

His passion for the sport started during the 1986 FIFA World Cup, when he was just ten years old. The tournament inspired him to pursue a career in football, and he began his coaching journey at the age of 21.

Regragui leaves a historic legacy

Ouahbi replaces Walid Regragui, who had been in charge of Morocco since 2022. Regragui was appointed shortly after winning the CAF Champions League with Wydad Casablanca.

He quickly made a huge impact on the national team. Under his leadership, Morocco produced one of the greatest campaigns in African football history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Atlas Lions defeated Belgium, Spain and Portugal on their way to becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi finals. Morocco eventually lost to France in the semi finals and then to Croatia in the third place play off, finishing fourth but earning global respect. However, the recent AFCON final defeat to Senegal on home soil was a painful moment for both Walid Regragui and Moroccan fans.

Rise through Morocco’s youth system

Ouahbi’s rise within Moroccan football began in March 2022, when he became the head coach of Morocco’s Under 20 team.

His biggest moment came at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, where Morocco achieved a historic triumph. In the final, his side defeated Argentina 2-0 to win the country’s first ever U20 World Cup title.

Two of his players also received major individual awards. Othmane Maamma won the adidas Golden Ball, while Yassir Zabiri took the Silver Ball, highlighting the strength of the team he built.

After this success, Ouahbi was promoted in December 2025 to coach the Morocco Under 23 team. Now he takes another step forward as the head coach of the senior national team, with the task of guiding Morocco to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Experience in Europe

Before working with Morocco, Ouahbi spent many years in Belgium at the renowned RSC Anderlecht training centre, where he built a reputation for developing young talent.

In 2018, he guided Anderlecht’s youth side to the Belgian Under 17 Championship, further strengthening his reputation as a coach who can build successful teams from the academy level.

Practical coaching style

Ouahbi is known for his organised and balanced approach to the game. He usually prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, combining defensive discipline with quick attacking play.

His teams focus on:

• Strong defensive structure
• Quick counter attacks using pace on the wings
• Giving young players opportunities alongside experienced stars

Focus on the 2026 World Cup

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, Ouahbi now faces his biggest challenge yet. Having worked closely with Morocco’s young talents, he understands the next generation that could shape the national team.

Morocco will hope that the coach who built success with their youth teams can now lead the Atlas Lions into another memorable era on the world stage.