Morocco national under-20 football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Morocco women's national under-20 football team.

Morocco national under-20 football team, represents Morocco in association football at an under-20 age level and is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Morocco. The current coach is Mohamed Ouahbi.

Morocco U-20

Nickname(s)	The Atlas Lions
Association	Royal Moroccan Football Federation
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Head coach	Mohamed Ouahbi
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	MAR
First colours Second colours
U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	11 (first in 1979)
Best result	Winners (1997)
Arab Cup U-20
Appearances	8 (first in 1983)
Best result	Winners (1989, 2011)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 1977)
Best result	Semi-final (2005)
Medal record U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 1997 Morocco Arab Cup U-20 1989 Iraq 2011 Morocco 1983 Morocco Mediterranean Games 2013 Mersin Islamic Solidarity Games 2013 Palembang 2005 Mecca

History

On 24 December 2020, Morocco won the 2020 UNAF U-20 Tournament and qualified for the 2021 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.^[1] In the 2021 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco topped their group stage after winning 1-0 against Gambia,^[2] drawing 0-0 with Ghana, and defeating Tanzania 2-0.^[3] Their campaign ended after losing to Tunisia on penalties.^[4]

In the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco did very well in the group stage and finished first in their group. They started by beating Kenya 3-2 in an exciting match.^[5] Then, they played a tough game against Nigeria that ended in a 0-0 draw.^[6] In their last group match, they won 3-1 against Tunisia.^[7] These results helped them move on to the knockout stage as the top team in their group. In the quarterfinal, Morocco beat Sierra Leone 1-0 in extra time.^[8] Then, in the semifinal, they defeated Egypt 1-0 to reach the final.^[9]

Players

Current squad

The following players were named in the squad for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations between 27 April – 18 May 2025.^[10]

Caps and goals are correct as of 1 May 2025, after the match against Kenya.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Yanis Benchaouch	(2006-04-10) 10 April 2006 (age 19)	10	0	Monaco
12	1GK	Hakim Mesbahi	(2005-09-07) 7 September 2005 (age 19)	17	0	AS FAR
16	1GK	Ibrahim Gomis	(2005-03-20) 20 March 2005 (age 20)	1	0	Marseille
2	2DF	Hamza Koutoune	(2006-09-17) 17 September 2006 (age 18)	9	0	Nice
3	2DF	Ismaël Baouf	(2006-09-17) 17 September 2006 (age 18)	5	1	Anderlecht
4	2DF	Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal	(2006-04-16) 16 April 2006 (age 19)	6	0	Amiens
13	2DF	Ahmed Khatir	(2005-03-14) 14 March 2005 (age 20)	22	0	Beveren
15	2DF	Fouad Zahouani	(2006-04-18) 18 April 2006 (age 19)	8	0	Union de Touarga
18	2DF	Naoufel El Hannach	(2006-12-07) 7 December 2006 (age 18)	5	1	Paris Saint-Germain
19	2DF	Smail Bakhty	(2006-11-29) 29 November 2006 (age 18)	7	1	Sturm Graz
20	2DF	Juliën Mesbahi	(2006-01-31) 31 January 2006 (age 19)	2	0	Twente
25	2DF	Issa Habri	(2006-01-06) 6 January 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Rennes
5	3MF	Reda Laalaoui	(2005-05-11) 11 May 2005 (age 20)	24	6	Hull City
6	3MF	Anas El Makkaoui	(2005-04-09) 9 April 2005 (age 20)	14	1	FUS Rabat
8	3MF	Hossam Essadak	(2005-07-30) 30 July 2005 (age 20)	12	1	Union de Touarga
14	3MF	Ismaël Aouad	(2006-05-22) 22 May 2006 (age 19)	6	2	Lens
24	3MF	Saad El Haddad	(2005-07-24) 24 July 2005 (age 20)	12	7	Venezia
26	3MF	Amine Boukamir	(2006-10-23) 23 October 2006 (age 18)	3	0	Royal Charleroi
7	4FW	Othmane Maamma	(2005-10-06) 6 October 2005 (age 19)	16	4	Montpellier
9	4FW	Ayman Arguigue	(2005-05-11) 11 May 2005 (age 20)	11	5	Huesca
10	4FW	Mouad Dahak	(2005-07-22) 22 July 2005 (age 20)	20	8	Union de Touarga
11	4FW	Ilias Boumassaoudi	(2005-01-14) 14 January 2005 (age 20)	12	4	Den Bosch
17	4FW	Jones El-Abdellaoui	(2006-01-12) 12 January 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Celta Vigo
21	4FW	Yassir Zabiri	(2005-02-23) 23 February 2005 (age 20)	22	14	Famalicão
22	4FW	Adnane Kharroubi	(2006-08-03) 3 August 2006 (age 19)	1	1	Caen
23	4FW	Adam Boayar	(2005-10-13) 13 October 2005 (age 19)	11	1	Elche

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the Morocco U-20 squad in the last 12 months and remain eligible.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up

Previous squads

FIFA World Youth Championship squads 1977 FIFA WYC 1997 FIFA WYC 2005 FIFA WYC

Africa U-20 Cup of Nations squads 2005 AYC squad 2021 CAN U-20 squad

FIFA World Cup U-20

FIFA U-20 World Cup
Year	Result	GP	W	D	L	GS	GA
1977	Group stage	3	0	0	3	0	6
1979	Did not qualify
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997	Round of 16	4	1	2	1	5	4
1999	Did not qualify
2001
2003
2005	Fourth Place	7	3	1	3	11	10
2007	Did not qualify
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021	canceled
2023	Did not qualify
2025	Qualified
Total	4/22	14	4	3	7	16	20

Africa U-20 Cup of Nations

Africa U-20 Cup of Nations
Year	Result	GP	W	D	L	GS	GA
1979	Second round	2	0	1	1	0	2
1981	First round	2	1	0	1	1	1
1983	Quarterfinals	4	2	1	1	7	3
1985	Quarterfinals	4	2	1	1	4	3
1987	Semifinals	6	4	0	2	10	4
1989	First Round	2	1	0	1	2	2
1991	Did not qualify
1993	Group stage	3	1	0	2	4	6
1995	Did not qualify
1997	Winner	5	3	1	1	5	2
1999	Did not qualify
2001
2003	Group stage	3	0	1	2	0	5
2005	Fourth Place	5	2	3	0	8	5
2007	Did not qualify
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021	Quarterfinals	4	2	2	0	4	0
2023	Did not qualify
2025	Qualified
Total	12/23	40	18	10	12	45	33

Tournament Records

UNAF U-20 Tournament record

UNAF U-20 Tournament
Appearances: 15 / 18
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2005	did not participate
2006	Runners-up	2	4	2	2	0	?	?
2007	Fourth Place	4	3	1	0	2	2	4
2008	Fourth Place	4	4	2	0	2	5	4
2009	Third Place	3	3	2	0	1	3	3
2010	Fourth Place	4	3	0	2	1	2	4
2011	Fourth Place	4	3	0	1	2	0	4
2012	Third Place	3	2	1	0	1	3	3
2012	Third Place	3	3	1	1	1	4	4
2014	Runner-up	2	2	1	0	1	3	3
2015	Winner	1	2	2	0	0	5	2
2016	canceled
2019	Fourth Place	4	4	1	2	1	3	4
2020	Winner	1	3	1	2	0	2	1
2021	withdrew
2022	Third Place	3	1	1	1	2	1	4
2023	Runner-up	4	2	1	1	12	7	7
2024	Winner	1	4	3	1	0	9	3
Total	w	3	47	20	13	14	54?	47?

Arab Cup U-20 record

Arab Cup U-20
Appearances: 8 / 8
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1983	Third Place	3rd	7	5	1	1	9	3
1985	Group stage	11th	2	0	1	1	0	2
1989	Champions	1st	6	5	1	0	14	4
1992	Cancelled
2011	Champions	1st	5	3	2	0	6	3
2012	Group stage	6th	3	1	1	1	3	3
2014	Cancelled
2020	Semi-finals	4th	5	4	0	1	12	7
2021	Quarter-finals	5th	4	3	1	0	16	2
2022	Quarter-finals	6th	3	2	0	1	6	4
Total	Best: Champions	2nd	35	23	7	5	66	28

Mediterranean Games

Year	Round	Position	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1991	Bronze Medal	3rd	3	2	0	1	6	3
1993	Group stage	9th	2	0	1	1	0	2
1997	did not enter
2001	Group stage	8th	2	1	0	1	6	4
2005	Fourth Place	4th	5	1	2	2	3	3
2009	withdrew
2013	Gold Medal	1st	5	4	1	0	12	5
2018	Bronze Medal	3rd	4	1	2	1	5	5
2022	Bronze Medal	3rd	5	2	1	2	8	6
2026	To be determined
2030
Total	1 Title	7/9	25	11	7	8	40	28

UNAF U-18 Tournament

UNAF U-18 Tournament
Appearances: 2 / 2
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2017	Runners-up	2	3	1	1	1	3	3
2019	Winner	1	4	3	1	0	7	1
Total	w	1	7	4	2	1	10	4

Jeux de la Francophonie

Football at the Jeux de la Francophonie record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1989	Silver Medal	2nd	5	3	1	1	10	7
1994	Fourth Place	4th	4	2	0	2	5	6
1997	did not enter
2001	Gold Medal	1st	6	3	3	0	12	3
2005	Group Stage	9th	3	1	0	2	4	4
2009	Bronze Medal	3rd	4	3	0	1	6	3
2013	Silver Medal	2nd	4	1	1	2	4	4
2017	Gold Medal	1st	5	3	2	0	13	1
2023	did not enter
2027	To be determined
Total	2 Titles	7/9	31	16	7	8	54	28

Head-to-head record

The following table shows Morocco's head-to-head record in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Opponent	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Belgium	1	0	1	0	1	1	+0	000.00
Brazil	1	0	0	1	1	2	−1	000.00
Chile	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	100.00
Honduras	2	1	0	1	5	1	+4	050.00
Hungary	1	0	0	1	0	2	−2	000.00
Italy	1	0	1	0	2	2	+0	000.00
Japan	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	100.00
Malaysia	1	1	0	0	3	1	+2	100.00
Nigeria	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3	000.00
Republic of Ireland	1	0	0	1	1	2	−1	000.00
Spain	1	0	0	1	1	3	−2	000.00
Uruguay	2	0	1	1	0	3	−3	000.00
Total	14	4	3	7	16	20	−4	028.57

Honours

• African Youth Championship:
  • Winners (1): 1997
  • Third Place: 1987, 2025
  • Fourth Place: 2005
• Arab Cup U-20:
  • Winners (2): 1989, 2011
  • Third Place: 1983
• Mediterranean Games:
  • Winners (1): 2013
• UNAF U-20 Tournament:
  • Winners (3): 2015, 2020, 2024
• Islamic Solidarity Games
  • Gold Medalists (1): 2013
• Jeux de la Francophonie^[11]
  • Gold Medalists (2): 2001, 2017
  • Silver Medal: 1989, 2013
  • Bronze Medal: 2009