Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has cautioned his players against complacency ahead of Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) round-of-16 match against Tanzania, warning that overconfidence has derailed the Atlas Lions in previous tournaments.
Despite being tournament hosts, the highest-ranked side at the competition, and clear favourites to advance, Regragui insisted that reputation alone will not win matches at the knockout stage.
Favourites under pressure
Morocco enter the last-16 with strong expectations after a solid group-stage showing, while Tanzania progressed as one of the four best third-placed teams. The Taifa Stars advanced with two points from three Group C matches, a tally that stands as the lowest points total ever by a team reaching the AFCON knockout phase.
Even so, Regragui rejected suggestions that the tie would be straightforward.
“We keep hearing that Morocco should win easily and that anything less is a failure,” he said on Saturday. “Our responsibility as staff and senior players is to keep our feet on the ground.”
Lessons from history
Morocco have lifted the AFCON trophy only once, in 1976, and have endured several early exits in recent editions, often against lower-ranked opponents.
Regragui said humility remains central to avoiding a repeat of past disappointments.
“We haven’t won this competition for nearly 50 years, and I believe that at times we lacked humility. We must not fall into that same trap again,” he noted.
Respect for Tanzania
The Moroccan coach praised Tanzania’s progress, pointing to improvements beyond their AFCON record.
• Growing domestic league structure
• Strong local clubs
• Increasing investment in football infrastructure
“They are a team that is developing. It will not be an easy match,” Regragui said. “There are always surprises in football, and it’s our job to make sure we don’t give them any opportunity to believe they can cause one.”
Tanzania’s challenge
Tanzania are appearing at only their fourth AFCON tournament and are still seeking their first-ever win at the finals, having played 12 matches since their debut in 1980 without a victory.
Nevertheless, their qualification for the knockout stage marks a significant achievement and presents an opportunity to test themselves against one of Africa’s strongest sides.
Kick-off on Sunday is expected to draw significant attention, with Morocco aiming to justify their status as title contenders and Tanzania hoping to defy history with a landmark result.
Source: Africa Publicity
