Morocco’s national football team made history on Saturday as they secured their first-ever victory over five-time world champions Brazil in a thrilling 2-1 friendly international.
With 65,000 fans cheering them on, Morocco took the game to Brazil from the start, but the visitors held strong, and the match almost turned for the worst after a series of bad tackles by the local defenders.
Morocco posed a constant threat on the counter-attack, but Brazil held the ball more aggressively. Unfortunately, Rony, Palmeiras’ winger, missed an easy goal opportunity from a short distance.
Brazil thought they had taken the lead when Vinicius Junior scored into an empty net. However, the goal did not count because the VAR reviewed and found an offside during the play.
How Morocco Got Their Victory
Morocco took advantage of Brazil’s defensive errors and scored the opening goal through Sofiane Boufal, who finished from close range after Bilal El Khannous’ assist in the 29th minute.
Brazil found the equalizer in the 67th minute thanks to another mistake by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who let a weak shot by Casemiro slip under him and inside the net.
However, Morocco hit back 12 minutes later with on-loan Sampdoria midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri scoring the winning goal with a stunning volley in the 79th minute, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Other Notes on the Match
The victory was particularly impressive considering Morocco had only beaten Brazil twice in their previous encounters, suffering defeats in the other two meetings.
The win has been praised by international media outlets such as Marca, AS, Sky Sports, and Al Jazeera. Many have emphasized Morocco’s passion and danger in the counter-attack, while others have celebrated the team’s historic achievement. It was a statement win for the Atlas Lions, who showed that their impressive World Cup run was not a fluke.
The game was also a touching tribute to the late Brazilian legend Pele, who passed away last December at the age of 82. Before kick-off, both teams paid their respects to the football icon, who remains an inspiration to players around the world.
Post Match Statements
Following the match, Morocco head coach Walid Regragui said, “We wanted to win after the World Cup, and that’s what happened. We’re happy because it’s the first time that Morocco has beaten Brazil in history. They are the first in the FIFA rankings.”
“We played a good game and did everything as far as possible to win,” said Casemiro. “It’s about putting into practice the ideas of a new coach, and we will continue to work hard and improve.”
The victory during Ramadan meant a lot to the Moroccan team, but Regragui warned against getting carried away and said they must quickly recover as they face Peru in two days.
With this historic win, Morocco has once again shown that they are a team to be reckoned with. They were the first Arab or African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, and their recent success suggests that they could go even further in the future.
As for Brazil, they will need to regroup and work hard to prepare for their upcoming fixtures, including the qualifying rounds for the 2026 World Cup.
