Prospects of Football in the Maghreb The Maghreb (from Arabic "sunset") is North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania. A region where football is not just a sport but a way of life. Here, the ball is struck on the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea, in the oases of the Sahara, and in the Atlas Mountains. After Morocco's sensational semi-final at the 2022 World Cup, as well as the successes of Algeria and Tunisia at previous tournaments, the world has turned its gaze to the Maghreb. What are the prospects for this region? Can Maghreb countries catch up with Europe and South America? Let's analyze. Morocco: the leader that does not slow down Morocco is the undisputed flagship of Maghreb football. The final of the African Nations Cup (CAN) 2024 (lost to Ivory Coast), a confident performance in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Prospects: the creation of the Mohammed VI superacademy (which has already graduated Hakimi, En-Nesiri), attracting players of Moroccan origin from Europe (France, the Netherlands, Spain), building new stadiums for the 2030 World Cup, which will be held in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. By 2030, Morocco wants to become the first African country to win the World Cup. It's still an utopia, but progress is evident. Already in 2026, the Moroccan national team is in the top 15 of FIFA. Algeria: past victories and hopes for revenge Algeria won the CAN in 2019 and in 1990. But in recent years, the national team has been struggling: a failure at the CAN-2023 (eliminated in the group), not qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. However, there are prospects. In 2026, the team is led by a new coach (former player Jamel Belmadi has left). Algeria has a strong diaspora in France (Riyad Mahrez, and now new talents like Farid Shaibi). The football federation invests in youth academies. The main problem: the aging of leaders (Mahrez is already 35, Slimani has retired). A generation of the 2000s is needed. But the potential is huge. Tu ... Read more