In the early hours of Tuesday (local kick-off Monday, 9 p.m.), the Atlas Lions meet the Netherlands at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey for a place in the round of 16. It is the only last-32 tie pitting two top-10 FIFA nations against each other.
Semi-finalists in Qatar in 2022 — the first African and Arab side ever to reach that stage — Morocco arrive with an openly stated ambition to go at least as far. Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, a U20 world champion last year and now in charge of the senior team, has set the tone: his squad must « believe in the possibility of winning the title. » Unbeaten runners-up in their group (a 1-1 draw with Brazil, wins of 1-0 over Scotland and 4-2 over Haiti), the side built around Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Díaz know a win would lift their tournament to another level. Opposite them stand a rising Dutch team, group F winners with ten goals scored and inspired by breakout striker Brian Brobbey.
The backdrop adds spice. With a Moroccan community of more than 400,000 in the Netherlands, the match carries the feel of a derby: Noussair Mazraoui, born in Leiderdorp, long played alongside Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch at Ajax. On the pitch, Ronald Koeman has promised attacking football while warning that his side must not give the ball away cheaply. The winner will face the victor of Canada–South Africa on 4 July in Houston. Live on beIN Sports 1 in France, and on Arryadia and Al Aoula in Morocco.