Morocco vow to come back stronger after World Cup exit

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi promised that his team will bounce back from their World Cup quarter-final exit against France on Thursday and keep building as they prepare to co-host the next tournament in 2030.

The Atlas Lions were hoping to at least match their historic run to the semi-finals in Qatar in 2022, but once again their World Cup hopes were ended by Les Bleus.

The 2-0 defeat at the Gillette Stadium near Boston was a repeat of the scoreline when the sides met in the semis four years ago, and Morocco must now turn their attentions towards future challenges after a draining last seven months.

"France are a really great side. We were playing a country who have been to the last two World Cup finals, and they have rarely had as much talent as they do now," acknowledged Ouahbi, after the last-eight contest was settled by second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.

‘Better next time’

"We know we can compete, and what we want to do is work even harder to try to do even better next time."

Ouahbi had said on the eve of the game that he would not consider going out in the quarter-finals as a success.

"I think it's important to do everything to try to win and I think we did try everything," he added on Thursday.

"We want to go even further and win the World Cup, so we are disappointed because we have lost, but we have to accept it."