Morocco coach Walid Regragui quits just months before World Cup, Mohamed Ouahbi appointed successor

RABAT, Morocco (AP) - Morocco coach Walid Regragui has quit the team just months before it competes at the World Cup, he confirmed at a late-night press conference on Thursday.

Regragui's departure - less than 100 days before the United States, Canada and Mexico host the World Cup from June 11 to July 19 - was widely reported before Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the country's soccer federation, accompanied Regragui for the press conference that doubled as a tribute to the departing coach.

"The team needs a fresh face, a different energy, and a new perspective with a new coach," Regragui said. "I think the team needs a new lease of life before the World Cup, a new vision to continue progressing. My decision to leave is part of this team's evolution."

The 50-year-old Regragui led Morocco to the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup - a first for Africa and the Arab world - but he was criticized after the team failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations as the host country after a dramatic 1-0 loss to Senegal in the final in January.

Lekjaa said that Mohamed Ouahbi, who led Morocco's under-20 team to the Youth World Cup title, was taking over as Regragui's successor.

It will be Ouahbi's first experience coaching a senior team. The 49-year-old Belgian-Moroccan was previously in charge of Morocco's under-23s and much of his career was spent managing youth sides at Belgian club Anderlecht.

"I'm not here to build, because the foundations are already in place. I'm here to keep performing," Ouahbi said.

Ouahbi said João Sacramento would be his assistant coach. The Portuguese is a former assistant coach at Paris Saint-Germain, and he worked under José Mourinho at Roma and Tottenham.

Morocco has not won a continental trophy since 1975 and Regragui also faced criticism for a perceived defensive style of play as the team's World Cup success and flawless qualifying campaigns raised expectations. Some critics already called for his dismissal after Morocco disappointed at the previous Africa Cup in Ivory Coast.

Regragui, a former right back for Spanish club Racing de Santander, was appointed Morocco's national team coach in 2022, shortly before the World Cup.

His future was the subject of intense speculation after the latest Africa Cup disappointment, which hit harder as the host nation, with several media outlets reporting his departure and prompting the federation to issue three denials.

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi called Regragui a "legend" on the social network X, where he said the coach's "leadership, passion, and vision inspired not only the players, but also an entire country and millions of fans around the world."

Hakimi said Regragui "left an unforgettable mark on the history of Moroccan football. Thank you for making us dream and for wearing our colors with such pride."

Morocco is investing billions of dollars in sports-related infrastructure as it bids to become a soccer powerhouse. It is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal and harbors high hopes of staging the final in Hassan II Stadium, set to be the largest soccer arena in the world with a capacity of 115,000 after its planned completion in 2028.

Morocco will play World Cup warm-up games against Ecuador and Paraguay on March 27 and 31, respectively.

The Atlas Lions have been drawn in World Cup Group C with Brazil, Haiti and Scotland.