Sport
The greatest Morocco players of all time
Many North African nations have long been strong footballing nations but few have such a rich pedigree as what Morocco does. Morocco’s national side have been regular participants at both the World Cup and the African Cup of Nations underlining their status as regional powerhouses. All this prowess for The Atlas Lions has been underlined by their victory at the 1976 African Nations Cup as well as their shocking run to the last four in the 2022 World Cup. Within all these achievements, there has been a varying line up of stars who have achieved considerable success both in the Moroccan Botola and overseas with some of the most famous clubs in the world. So just who are the greatest Moroccan players of all time?
Larbi Benbarbek
Ironically, Morocco’s first footballing star was someone who never actually played for his country. Larbi Benbarbek was born and raised in Casablanca even debuting for Wydad back in 1930. His skill with the ball at his feet and ability to both create and convert chances made him an attacking threat anywhere on the pitch. Nicknamed “The Black Pearl”, Benbarbek moved to Europe as his profile raised enjoying notable stints with both Marseille and Atletico Madrid. It was with Atletico that he enjoyed most success winning both the 1950 and 1951 La Liga titles where he scored 56 goals in 113 games. Due to France’s territorial claim over Morocco, Benbarbek also represented the French national side instead of Morocco winning 17 caps. After retiring due to injuries in 1954, Benbarbek later managed several sides including Morocco’s national side before passing away in 1992 aged 78. His impact on the game was underlined in 1998 where he was posthumously awarded the FIFA Order of Merit for his contributions on the pitch.
Abdelmajid Dolmy
Morocco’s first successful runs internationally came in the 1970s and much of that could be attributed to the silky skills of Abdelmajid Dolmy. Dolmy was a midfield dynamo who could go on mazy runs slicing through the heart of a team as well as effortlessly picking out passes that no-one could see. It was this lively output that helped turned Morocco into an African force being in both the victorious 1976 African Nations Cup and part of the 1986 World Cup squad that reached the last 16. Alongside those achievements, Dolmy played nearly 600 games for Raja Casablanca winning 3 league titles with the club. During his lengthy career, Dolmy received numerous plaudits resulting him being named in the top 100 African footballers of the 20th century.
Ezzaki Badou
Over a career that has thrived both on and off the pitch, Ezzaki Badou proved that he has both the physical and mental attributes to lead teams to success. On the pitch, the keeper known as “Zaki” wowed teammates and colleagues by his tactical astuteness and command of his area when out between the sticks. It was these achievements that saw him lead Wydad Casablanca to two Botola trophies as well as help Real Mallorca to reach the 1991 Copa Del Rey Final. He was also the captain for the Morocco side that won Group F at the 1986 World Cup. Zaki played a key role in this tournament keeping two clean sheets and only conceding once in three games. This led to him being named African Footballer of the Year in 1986 for his efforts. Off the pitch, Zaki has become an accomplished manager with a range of success for clubs across Africa as well as guiding Morocco to the 2014 World Cup.
Mustapha Hadji
During the 1990s, Morocco had an abundance of technically gifted players at their disposal but none were more prominent than Mustapha Hadji. Hadji was an exceptionally gifted set-piece specialist who could whip in dangerous corners or free kicks with pinpoint accuracy. It was a reason why he was a sought after player in many big European leagues playing for the likes of Deportivo La Coruna, Aston Villa and Sporting Lisbon. It was in the Premier League where Hadji enjoyed most of his plaudits scoring 12 goals in 62 games for then Premier League side Coventry City. During his time at Coventry, Hadji was named 1998 African Footballer of the Year showcasing his status as one of the best footballers from his homeland. He would later wind his career down in the Middle East with Al Ain before switching to management in the early 2000s.
Noureddine Naybet
Out of all of Morocco’s major footballing stars, Noureddine Naybet was perhaps the most understated. The centre-back was known for being particularly difficult to beat in a duel thanks to his excellent tackling and underrated aerial game. All these assets made Naybet a highly sought-after defender and it would be with Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna where he enjoyed most of his fame. During his 8-year stint in La Liga, Naybet was a regular in the first side and was a part of the side that won the 1999-00 La Liga season. At the same time, Naybet was an enduring member of the Morocco national side winning 118 caps from 1990-2006. After retiring in 2006, Naybet finished with a host of accolades including a place in the African Team of the Century and the all-time appearance for the national side – one that sits to this current day.
Achraf Hakimi
There are few all-rounders who can play anywhere on the pitch quite like Achraf Hakimi. Hakimi is someone who can be deployed anywhere within defence or midfield and generate positive play as a result. Capable of shutting down moves and making key tackles, Hakimi is just as useful making surging runs on the wing or delivering key passes across the field. His footballing achievements have come at the highest levels too playing for a host of top European sides including Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and PSG. During his career so far, Hakimi has won plethora of titles including Serie A, Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League. He has played his part in these successes thanks to having been named in the 2020 Bundesliga Team of the Year, the 2021 Serie A Team of the Year and 2019 African Footballer of the Year. All this proves that Hakimi is one of the brightest lights currently in both Moroccan and European football.
Medhi Benatia
There are fewer defenders who have proven as difficult to beat than Medhi Benatia. Benatia has stunned many thanks to his excellent composure and passing abilities with the ball making passing out of the back look easy. Furthermore, a strong aerial presence also regularly makes him a threat from set pieces too. It’s this combination that has seen Benatia shine for some of the best teams in Europe including Bayern Munich and Juventus. Its why Benatia has enjoyed a highly-decorated career winning both the Bundesliga and Serie A multiple times during the 2010s. During these stints, Benatia was named best Moroccan Player both in 2013 and 2014 as well as nominated in no less than 4 CAF Team of the Year awards. Benatia also played a major role for Morocco acting as captain for the national side from 2015-2019. A hugely successful career for one of Morocco’s greatest defensive players.
Ahmed Faras
Ahmed Faras is a player who set amazing records and achievements for what was a very understated career. Faras starred for the Morocco national side throughout the 1960s and 1970s where his uncanny finishing abilities made him extremely difficult to stop in the box. It was at the 1976 African Cup of Nations where he truly came alive scoring 3 goals to help Morocco win their only major honour to date. It was here where he was named Best Player of the tournament for his efforts. It also followed up a successful year in 1975 where he was named African Footballer of the Year whilst playing with hometown side Chabab Mohammedia. During his 14-year career, Faras scored 36 goals for Morocco – a national record that stands to this very day. It’s an amazing feat for a player who never played abroad during his professional career.
