Due to Walid Regragui, the coach who has made Morocco the primary Arab nation to achieve the World Cup quarter-finals, avocados could be the nation’s favorite fruit.
When the appointment of Regragui following the departure of Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic was introduced in August, underwhelmed pundits branded him “avocado head” as a belittling time period of derision. However the shaved-headed coach, who teased these critics on the match in Qatar by holding an avocado with a soccer ball inside it and pointing his finger at his head, has greater than proved his credentials.
The beforehand unheralded Regragui, who led Wydad to the Moroccan league and CAF Champions League double final season, masterminded a win for the ages towards mighty Spain within the final 16 on Tuesday. The Atlas Lions produced a tremendous defensive efficiency, permitting Spain possession with out threatening hazard, earlier than profitable a penalty shootout to arrange a last-eight conflict with Portugal.
Morocco first grabbed consideration on the World Cup with a goalless draw towards Croatia, the runners-up 4 years in the past. The 47-year-old coach talked about how his group should develop a profitable mentality, and that Morocco would see how they fared towards Belgium earlier than their last group sport towards Canada.
The Moroccans, nevertheless, shocked the second-ranked Belgians 2-0 to ease their passage to the final 16 for the second time of their historical past.
Following one other victory over Canada, Regragui turned the primary Arab coach to steer a group to the knockout rounds.
“I instructed (my gamers) we needs to be happy with ourselves,” Regragui stated. “It is a chance that is probably not repeated. Sadly, I didn’t play within the World Cup. God has now given me a chance to make historical past as a coach. I’m the happiest particular person on the planet,” he stated.
“I feel Africans can go far, why not dream of profitable the cup? We would like the following technology to dare to dream.”
From the primary minute towards Spain, these conversant in Moroccan soccer felt that the 2010 world champions had an extended night time forward of them.
USUAL MIXTURE
Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui is thrown within the air on the finish of the World Cup spherical of 16 soccer match between Morocco and Spain, on the Training Metropolis Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. (AP Picture/Abbie Parr)
Regragui relied on the standard combination of North African type, combining dedicated defence with counter-attacks led by Hakim Ziyech, who returned to the nationwide group when Regragui took over from Halilhodzic. However Regragui’s significance extends far past on-field techniques. He provides his group confidence and motivates them in his personal distinctive manner.
Regragui has managed to persuade his gamers they’re enjoying for all of Morocco and, because of this, the group camp has been totally different from earlier than. Regragui determined to ask the gamers’ households to the camp in Qatar.
“I lived my life in Paris, nevertheless it was the primary time that I attended a match with Walid collaborating, whether or not as a participant or a coach,” Regragui’s mom instructed the Moroccan TV station Arryadia.
Though 14 of the 26 gamers within the Moroccan squad have been born overseas, their love for his or her nation is obvious.
“We fought and made the Moroccan individuals pleased. We made historical past and Morocco deserves it. The Moroccan individuals made us united on the sphere,” Regragui instructed Bein Sports activities. It’s doable to really feel the heat between Regragui and his gamers throughout coaching as he treats them like pals.
“They wish to hit me on the pinnacle,” Regragui stated. “Possibly it brings them good luck.”
At Al-Thumama Stadium on Saturday, the Moroccan, Arab and African world will hope to proceed the avocado-inspired fairytale towards Portugal.