FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised Morocco’s steady rise as a global football force, describing the country’s recent achievements across different categories as the result of “exceptional work” carried out within the Kingdom.
Speaking on Saturday during his visit to Rabat to attend the final of the Women’s U-17 World Cup, Infantino congratulated Morocco on winning the U-20 World Cup in Chile, calling it a “well-deserved title” that reflects the country’s growing football strength.
“First of all, allow me to congratulate Morocco on its magnificent Under-20 World Cup title in Chile a few days ago. It was a great final against Argentina and a world championship title that truly shows the passion and progress being made in this beautiful country that is Morocco,” said the FIFA President in a statement published by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
Infantino noted that Morocco’s latest triumph confirms that the national team’s historic run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals in Qatar was “not a fluke but the result of exceptional work done here, both at the men’s and women’s levels.”
Expressing his delight at returning to Morocco, Infantino said: “It is a great pleasure for me to be back here in Rabat. We feel at home here, we feel good — it breathes and lives football.”
Commenting on the Women’s U-17 World Cup hosted by Morocco, he underlined that the event “once again demonstrates Morocco’s qualities as a host country.”
“This is the first Women’s World Cup to be held in Africa, here in Morocco, and it is the first of five in a row that will be held here,” Infantino said, while expressing his gratitude to King Mohammed VI “who is driving this football movement in this beautiful country.”
The Women’s U-17 World Cup final will take place on Saturday evening at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium, featuring North Korea and the Netherlands.
