Regragui: "They Talk About Dortmund and I'm Not Afraid of 80,000... But When 80,000 Moroccans Are Behind You, It's Hard to Beat the Lions" - Elbotola
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Regragui: "They Talk About Dortmund and I'm Not Afraid of 80,000... But When 80,000 Moroccans Are Behind You, It's Hard to Beat the Lions"

Regragui: "They Talk About Dortmund and I'm Not Afraid of 80,000... But When 80,000 Moroccans Are Behind You, It's Hard to Beat the Lions"

15 January 2026at19:27

Walid Regragui, head coach of the Moroccan national team, once again praised the Moroccan fans, affirming that they were the 12th player on the field during the "Atlas Lions'" match against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.

Regragui stated in the press conference following their qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations final: "Today we played with 12 players. This is the crowd I always talk about." The national coach added, "They talk about Dortmund and I'm not afraid of 80,000, but when 80,000 Moroccans are cheering and are behind the national team, it's hard to beat the Lions."

Regragui thus sent a clear message to Cameroon national team forward Christian Koufani, who had previously stated: "In Germany, there is Borussia Dortmund, and I believe their fans are more numerous than the Moroccan fans. Regarding the crowd, there is no pressure; the atmosphere is calm."

How does Walid Regragui characterize the role of Moroccan fans in the national team's success?

Regragui views Moroccan fans as the "12th player," asserting their passionate support makes the Atlas Lions nearly unbeatable, a sentiment reinforced after their crucial AFCON semi-final qualification.

What specific comments from Christian Koufani did Walid Regragui address in his press conference?

Regragui directly responded to Koufani's remarks comparing Moroccan fans to Borussia Dortmund's crowd and stating that the atmosphere would be "calm" with "no pressure" for opponents.
Morocco
CAF Africa Cup of Nations

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