By Adenike Dada
The African Coaches Connect has attributed Morocco’s victory at the FIFA Under-20 Men’s World Cup to effective planning and strategic budgetary allocation.
The Atlas Cubs of Morocco defeated Argentina 2–0 in the final of the tournament held in Chile on Sunday, becoming the second African country to win the competition after Ghana’s triumph in 2009.
President of the African Coaches Connect, Coach Eldred Sunju Abbey, told newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday that Morocco’s football authorities laid the groundwork for the historic success more than a decade ago.
“This is the reward for proper planning and purposeful budgetary allocation,” Abbey said.
“In 2009, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, led by Fouzi Lekjaa, made a deliberate decision to invest in football development.
“They built the Mohammed VI Stadium and established a football academy. The results are now evident — from their impressive performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to this U-20 victory in Chile.”
Abbey said the bulk of the Moroccan U-20 players were products of the country’s football academy, describing it as a model for sustainable development on the continent.
“The future is bright for Morocco and for Africa if we can all adopt this approach,” he said. “We must develop football structures, raise standards, and aim to make a global impact like Morocco.”
He also announced that the African Football Convention, organised by the African Coaches Connect, would hold in Casablanca, Morocco, from Dec. 23 to 28, 2025.
According to him, the convention will bring together football professionals, administrators, club owners, and sports ministers to deliberate on ways to advance football development in Africa.
The African Coaches Connect is a global network of football professionals committed to making football a thriving and high-earning industry across the continent. (Credit Mike Mbonye)
