Morocco cemented their position as Africa’s new benchmark on the world stage as they breezed into the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a dominant 3-0 win over co-hosts Canada. An efficient, tactically astute performance from the Atlas Lions punished Canada’s attacking frailties on the counter and saw them become the first team to make the last eight.
The key man for Morocco was Girona midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who struck twice in a performance that spoke volumes of their rapidly increasing influence on football’s global showpiece, with a substitute netting a late sealer to cap a convincing win that would do even more for the reputation of the North Africans after their historic run to the semi-finals at Qatar 2022.
It was about more than just the scoreline, though. Morocco became the first side to have recorded the best shot conversion rate in a FIFA World Cup knock-out match, since Opta’s records began in 1966, hitting three from five shots for a conversion of 60% Morocco were also the first African team to have hit three goals in a World Cup .
Knock-out fixture Morocco are now responsible for four out of the eight all-time knock-out victories that any African side has ever recorded at a World Cup; meaning they are behind half of all African success in such games Morocco are the first African team to reach two consecutive World Cup quarter-finals .
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