The Atlas Lion Cubs at the top of world football
The Atlas Lions caused a surprise on Sunday, October 18 in Chile, becoming the first Arab country to win in Santiago the Under-20 World Cup, thanks to a 2-0 victory against Argentina as favorites.
Thousands of people celebrated the «historic» victory of the young Moroccan team on the night of Sunday 18 to Monday 19 October 2025
Yassir Zabiri, a striker for the Moroccan youth team and the Portuguese club Famalicao, scored his team’s two goals in the 12th and 29th minutes, bringing the trophy home in front of some 43,000 spectators, the majority of whom supported the Moroccans, the underdogs in this competition. Zabiri was voted man of the match and best player of the competition.
The success of the young Moroccan footballers is synonymous with a second title for the African continent in the U20 World Cup after Ghana’s victory in 2009.
Morocco appears to be riding high on its strong performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where its senior team finished fourth, before its men’s Olympic team won bronze two years later at the Paris Olympics. In 2030, the country will co-host the World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
“This is just the beginning!”
In cities across the Kingdom, as soon as the final whistle blew, cafes and houses emptied out onto the streets . Fireworks, honking horns… Thousands of people celebrated the young Moroccan team’s « historic « victory on Sunday night.
« This is a historic event!»; said Mimoune El Moufid, 59, his voice trembling with pride, in the heart of Rabat. « This is the first time a Moroccan team has won a World Cup! « Around him, faces beam, chants rise, and the capital is still buzzing at four in the morning. In the streets, people chant: « Congratulations to us! This is only the beginning! «
In Fez, joy filled cafes and boulevards. Songs, dances, and impromptu processions celebrated the Lion Cubs, with the names Zabiri, Maamma, and Baouf chanted in unison. Supporters, perched on balconies or gathered on terraces, extended the celebrations late into the night, transforming the Idrissid city into an open stage for national pride.
In Errachidia, “ Dima Maghrib! ” rang out until the first light; in Marrakech, “ Dakka Marrakchia ” led the dance.
The diaspora in jubilation
The Moroccan community living in Montreal experienced an unforgettable evening on Sunday, October 18 , after Morocco’s victory in the final of the Under-20 World Cup against Argentina (2-0).
In the Saint-Léonard district, hundreds of Moroccans of all ages and backgrounds gathered in one of the Canadian metropolis’s largest venues to watch the eagerly awaited final against Argentina. The jubilation also spread to Senegal, France, Mauritania, and Spain, where the Moroccan diaspora celebrated the Lion Cubs’ victory.
The international press hails the feat
The prestigious sports daily «L’Équipe» devoted a lengthy article to the genesis of the Lions’ success, explaining that Morocco is shining thanks to an ambitious plan for modern youth training. It noted that the Kingdom is committed to a dynamic performance driven by a clear strategic vision, which places the Mohammed VI Academy at the heart of this process.
By winning the Under-20 World Cup hands down, Morocco has cemented its place among the world’s top football champions, American media reported on Sunday, October 18. «The Atlas Lions’ victory over Argentina has consolidated Morocco’s rise in world football « , wrote the prestigious American specialist magazine «The Athletic,» which belongs to the New York Times group, for whom the Kingdom is now a proven football powerhouse.
Royal congratulations
King Mohammed VI sent a message of congratulations on Monday, October 19 , to the members of the national under-20 football team, following their victory at the World Cup held in Chile.
In this message, the Sovereign affirms having followed « with immense joy and deep pride « the « heroic « journey crowned by the « well-deserved « coronation at the U-20 World Cup (Chile 2025), expressing to the members of the national team his warm congratulations for this new global feat, the first of its kind in the history of Moroccan football.
« We salute this sporting achievement, the result of your high level of self-confidence, your unwavering belief in your potential and talent, the spirit of cohesion and harmony you have demonstrated, as well as your superb professional performance throughout this World Cup « , the Sovereign continued. HM the King noted that the members of the national team have honored their country and its youth, and have represented it, as well as the African continent, as it should be.
Akram OUBACHIR
