Morocco have made history by becoming only the second African nation, after Ghana in 2009, to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The North Africans produced a commanding performance to defeat six-time champions Argentina 2-0 in a thrilling final on Sunday in Chile.
The Young Atlas Lions took control of the game early, showing confidence and composure against the South American giants. Their dominance paid off in the 12th minute when Yassir Zabiri opened the scoring with a sensational freekick that curled beyond the Argentine goalkeeper, Santino Barbi and into the top corner.
Morocco doubled their lead in the 29th minute following a moment of brilliance from Othmane Maamar, who embarked on a solo run past two defenders before setting up Zabiri for an easy volley, his second goal of the night.
Argentina pushed hard to find a way back into the match, but Morocco’s defense held firm, with goalkeeper Ibrahim Gomis making crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet.
When the final whistle blew, Morocco’s players and fans erupted in celebration, marking a historic achievement for African football. The victory adds Morocco’s name to the short list of African nations to have lifted the U-20 World Cup, cementing their status as one of the continent’s rising football powers.
This triumph caps off a remarkable tournament for Morocco to conquer the world stage.