Morocco Secures Historic Bronze in Men’s Football at the 2024 Olympics with a Dominant 6-0 Victory
Paris — In a landmark achievement for Moroccan football, the national team clinched their first-ever Olympic medal in men’s football with a resounding 6-0 victory over Egypt in the bronze medal match on August 8 at La Beaujoire Stadium in Nantes.
Dominant Performance
Morocco’s victory was marked by their exceptional finishing, despite having only 49% possession of the ball. They converted six of their seven shots on target into goals, leaving Egypt unable to mount a comeback. The match unfolded as follows:
- 23rd Minute: Abde Ezzalzouli, formerly of Barcelona, opened the scoring with a beautifully curled right-footed shot from the edge of the box.
- 26th Minute: Soufiane Rahimi doubled the lead with a close-range header.
- Early Second Half: Bilal El Khannouss added a stunning long-range strike to make it 3-0.
- Additional Goals: Rahimi, Akram Nakach, and Achraf Hakimi (of PSG) each scored to complete the 6-0 rout.
Reflections and Achievements
Forward Ilias Akhomach expressed pride in the team’s historic achievement, saying, “We wanted the gold, but winning this match and bringing home Morocco’s first football medal while receiving so much support from our fans is an incredible feeling.”
This victory caps an extraordinary journey for Morocco, following their remarkable run to the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup. Their Olympic campaign saw them triumph over Argentina (2-1), Ukraine (2-1), and Iraq (3-0) in the group stage, followed by a 4-0 win over the United States in the quarterfinals, and a narrow loss to Spain in the semifinals.
Star Player
Soufiane Rahimi emerged as the standout player of the tournament, scoring eight goals — four more than his closest competitors, Jean-Philippe Mateta of France and Fermin Lopez of Spain. The 28-year-old, currently playing for Al Ain in the UAE, has become a key figure in Moroccan football.
Egypt’s Historic Challenge
For Egypt, this was their third fourth-place finish in Olympic history, having previously missed out on medals in Amsterdam 1928 and Tokyo 1964. Rogerio Micale, Egypt’s coach who led Brazil to gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics, acknowledged Morocco’s clinical performance, stating, “Morocco was clinical in front of goal today, converting almost every chance. Unfortunately, we couldn’t match that level of performance.”
Conclusion
Morocco’s stunning victory not only marks their debut in the Olympic football medal tally but also sets a new standard for future competitions. Their performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics has solidified their position on the global football stage and left an indelible mark on Olympic history.
