World Cup Class of 2018: Morocco

Population: 33.8 million

Capital: Rabat

Team Colors: Red and Green

How Qualified: Won CAF Third Round Group C

Nickname: Atlas Lions

5th World Cup

Head Coach: Herve Reynard (FRA)

Key Players: Medhi Benatia (Juventus), Khalid Bautaib (Yeni Malatyaspor), Mbark Boussoufa (Al-Jazira)

Best Performance: Round of 16 (1986)

Can they pull some shocks in a tough group? Morocco is in the World Cup for the first time since 1998. They actually made the second round in 1986 and almost did the same in 1998, but for two late Norwegian goals against Brazil at the same time the Atlas Lions were defeating Scotland. Their only honor is winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 1976.

Morocco will need to get by on defense like it did in the final round of CAF qualifying. The Atlas Lions did not concede a single goal in the final stage of qualification in Africa, but even then required a result in their last match which they got when they defeated Ivory Coast in Abidjan, 2-0.

Frenchman Herve Reynard leads the Atlas Lions and has a pedigree of managing in Africa. He led both Zambia and Ivory Coast of ACON titles and has now taken Morocco to its first World Cup in 20 years.

The hard work and discipline will be severely tested in Russia. In addition to the obvious in Portugal and Spain, they open with an Iranian team that also has an impressive defensive record. Chances are that if either team are to have a chance to progress to the knockout stages, both teams will need to win that match at the Luzhniki.

Morocco will look to advance to the Round of 16 for the second time in their history and they are tough defensively. They will need to be tough to pull some shockers and make it to the next round.

Schedule:

June 15: vs. Iran in St. Petersburg (Luzhniki) (10am CT on FOX/Telemundo)

June 20: vs. Portugal in Moscow (Luzhniki) (7am CT on FS1/Telemundo)

June 25: vs. Spain in Kaliningrad (1pm CT on FS1/NBC Universo)