Morocco players celebrate winning the U20 World Cup. AP
Morocco players celebrate winning the U20 World Cup. AP
Morocco players celebrate winning the U20 World Cup. AP
Morocco players celebrate winning the U20 World Cup. AP

King Mohammed VI hails Morocco as they become first Arab nation to lift Fifa U20 World Cup


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King Mohammed VI sent his congratulations to the Moroccan team following their triumph in the Fifa U20 World Cup in Chile on Sunday evening.

The Moroccans capped a dream run in the tournament by upsetting heavy favourites Argentina 2-0 in the final in Santiago to lift the trophy.

“Just as you delighted and brought joy to passionate football fans, you have also filled us with happiness, along with the entire Moroccan people,” King Mohammed VI said.

Striker Yassir Zabrini was the hero for the Atlas Cubs as he scored twice in the first half to stun the Argentines.

Zabrini scored in the 12th and 29th minutes of the final - the first a spectacular free-kick - to help Morocco become the first African nation to win the U20 title since Ghana in 2009 and the first Arab nation to claim the silverware in the tournament's history.

Morocco had earlier topped a tough group against Spain, Brazil and Mexico, and then advanced over South Korea, the United States and France in the knockout stages.

It was a first loss in the tournament for Argentina, who had been aiming for a seventh title.

Argentina reached the final despite missing two of their best players in the age group – Bayer Leverkusen’s Claudio Echeverri and Real Madrid's Franco Mastantuono.

Morocco's success comes amid a golden period for football in the country. The senior men's national team reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and have already sealed qualification for the 2026 tournament in North America.

Four years later Morocco will co-host the global finals alongside Spain and Portugal in 2030. First they will host this year's African Cup of Nations, with the tournament set to kick off in Rabat on December 21.

And two years ago in Australia, the Moroccan women's team reached the last 16 of the World Cup, their best ever result at a major tournament.

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