National team head coach Walid Regragui said he was delighted for both the players and the fans after the Atlas Lions qualified for the final of AFCON Morocco 2025 by defeating Nigeria on Wednesday.
"These are matches decided by mental strength and small details. It’s a wonderful gift for the Moroccan fans,” Regragui said during the press conference following the semi-final, which Morocco won on penalties (4–2) after a 0–0 draw at the end of extra time.
To win trophies, Regragui stressed, a strong mindset is required, not just talented players, while praising the progress made by Moroccan football in recent years.
On this occasion, the national coach also expressed his deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the continuous support the Sovereign provides to the national team and for the development of football in the Kingdom.
"We faced a solid and well-organized team. We needed a lot of energy, and we must recover as quickly as possible,” he added, emphasizing that the most important thing is that Morocco have reached the AFCON final, 22 years after their last appearance in 2004 against Tunisia.
"We went through difficult moments. We must stay positive and focused in order to win this title together,” Regragui continued.
In this regard, the national coach praised the work of the Atlas Lions’ medical staff, describing it as "one of the best in the world.” "Today’s victory also belongs to the entire staff. It is Morocco’s victory,” he stressed.
"Youssef En-Nesyri volunteered to take the final penalty. That shows the personality of this great player, who has given so much to the Moroccan team,” he said, noting that the players form a "united group.”
Regragui added that Sunday’s match will be very important for the history of Moroccan football, underlining that the national team must remain consistent at the final stages of major tournaments.
For his part, Yassine Bounou, named Man of the Match, thanked the fans for their unwavering support of the Atlas Lions during this difficult encounter.
"The love of the fans for the national team players pushes us to give even more effort,” he said, noting that Morocco played against a "very good Nigerian team.”
"We prepared well for this match. I thank all the players. We will recover mentally and physically over the next three days in order to deliver a strong performance in the final,” Bounou added.