Morocco: Three players to keep an eye on at the 2018 World Cup

Mehdi Benatia of Juventus will play a key role in Morocco’s World Cup ambitions (photo credit: Kari Heistad/Captured Images)

Initial thoughts on the roster: Defensively this side is as good as any side in the tournament.Head coach Herve Renard has brought in a side with a very strong spine (Medhi Benatia of Juventus, Hakim Ziyech of Ajax, and Karim El Ahmadi of Feyernoord) and some pretty interesting pieces with a good bit of upside (Achraf Hakimi of Real Madrid). They have some serious questions up front, but assuming they can stay in matches their attack should get help from their midfield on set pieces.

Medhi Benatia (Defender, 31, Juventus)

If you are a 31 year old center back who typically plays his club football for one of the best defensive sides in Europe and you are also captaining a side that is playing a World Cup you make this list. Benatia is one of the most important players for Morocco but also in this World Cup. The Atlas Lions are considered to be a dark horse in this year’s tournament in part because of Benatia. He has the experience against Portugal and Spain to limit their chances on the attacking end.

Achraf Hakimi (Defender, 19, Real Madrid)

Back to the defense for Morocco. Why it is almost as if there is a message here? Although Benatia can stop most of what Spain and Portugal will be giving on the inside, the outside is a much more complicated situation. Especially with Portugal and Ronaldo Morocco are going to have to guard the outside midfielders and forwards in space tightly. There is no better person for this particular task than Achraf Hakimi, who plays with Ronaldo at Madrid and is lightning fast. He is a pesky right-back, someone that does not give up on a play but also has good ball control.  At 19 years old he should be able to absorb the full effect of a European season and still have a quality World Cup.

Ayoub El Kaabi (Forward, 24, RS Berkane)

If there is an area where Morocco will struggle it is on the attacking. They don’t really have an out and out center forward that they can depend on. Their four forwards (El Kaabi, Khalid Boutaib, Aziz Bouhaddouz, and Youssef En-Nesyri) have scored a combined 23 goals. For Morocco Herve Renard that has to be very worrisome especially considering the amount of pressure their defense will be on.

Of the four El Kaabi is the most likely to break out. Eight of his eleven goals have come in 2018 and during the African Nations Championship (An international competition only for domestic-based African players), so pretty important matches. He was born in France and thus carries a French passport and is just 24 years old but he has some European suitors (according to Sports Illustrated Atletico Madrid have shown an interest).