Walid Regragui's period at the helm of the Moroccan national team's technical management has ended, and a new phase has begun with another Moroccan coach, Mohamed Wehbe, winner of the World Cup title for under-20 years. Who is Wehbe and what style does he adopt in playing, and which will he employ in the 2026 World Cup finals to achieve positive results and please the Moroccan fans?

Published on: 03/06/2026 - 15:33

It is a new chapter in the history of the Moroccan national football team. After a series of leaks published by the media about his departure, followed by statements of denial on every occasion from the Moroccan Football Federation, it was officially confirmed on Thursday that coach Walid Regragui had left the technical management of the Atlas Lions, while those responsible for football affairs in the Kingdom chose to appoint coach Mohamed Wehbe as his successor.

Wehbe (49 years old), who won the World Cup with the under-20 team in October in Chile, said, “I thank the university and Mr. Lakjaa for the trust placed in me to bear the responsibility of the national team,” adding, “I am also aware of the expectations and am truly committed to working hard, with humility and a lot of patriotic spirit.” Wehbe introduced his first assistant, Portuguese coach Joao Scarmento, without announcing the rest of the members of his new staff.

He also did not announce during this ceremony the duration and details of the contract that links him to the university. He merely said, “The only contract that matters to me is my moral commitment to Morocco,” and our goal “is to continue development and achieve achievements.” He stressed that his main mission is to “continue working for the development of the team,” “but without making a revolution.”

Read also: Walid Regragui’s departure from the Moroccan national team before the 2026 World Cup and the appointment of Mohamed Wehbe as his successor

"strategic transition"

After failing to win the African Cup title, the Moroccan Football Federation had no choice but to move to another stage and end the Regragui era. A coach with great qualifications who placed the Moroccan national team among the major countries in the game. But he did not complete his mission of winning the second African title for the Kingdom, which the Moroccan fans had waited for for decades.

The former coach of the Lions understood that the situation needed to change and he had no choice but to leave, because “the team needs a new breath before the World Cup, a new vision to continue developing,” “There are moments that need new dynamics and new faces.”

Therefore, Ragragui was and will remain a great coach in the history of the Moroccan national team for what he achieved, especially in the Qatar World Cup finals, where he reached the World Cup semi-finals with the Lions, which placed Moroccan football in a high position in the world, first in the Arab world and Africa.

But the moment of change imposed itself, and the Moroccan Football Federation saw Mohamed Wehbe as the man of the current stage, so he had to be chosen to lead the Moroccan national team during the 2026 World Cup finals. Wehbe’s appointment (49 years old) came after local media circulated his name in recent weeks with other names, most notably his compatriots Tariq Saktiwi and Hussein Amouta, and the Spaniard Xavi Hernandez.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation explained this change “within the framework of the “Morocco 2030” road map...with the aim of raising performance standards and enhancing the dynamism of Moroccan football’s development at all levels,” considering that “this announcement is not just a change, but rather a strategic transition.”

Who is Muhammad Wehbe?

Mohamed Wehbe was born in Brussels on September 7, 1976. He started training at an early age, when he was only 21 years old, coaching the youth team for Maccabi Brussels, before joining the Anderlecht Academy in 2004, one of the most prominent European academies.

He rose within the club from training youth until he reached the first team, and gained extensive experience in developing talent. He obtained the highest training certificate in Europe, “UEFA PRO”, after a long process of learning and field application.

He achieved a historic achievement with the Moroccan national team for less than 20 years, winning the World Cup with them, after leading them to the final of the African Cup of Nations in Egypt. He had been appointed coach of the Moroccan Olympic team, but Regragui's departure from the Atlas Lions prompted Moroccan football officials to delegate to him the task of running the technical management of the Moroccan national team.

Wehbe style

Many football observers liken Mohamed Wehbe to Jose Moreno. Both of them were never professional players, but they possessed deep football knowledge and vision, which helped them enter the training field, after studying, with great self-confidence, and contributed to the two achieving important achievements in their training paths.

Unlike Regragui, who was known for adopting a defensive style, Wehbe is distinguished in his playing methodology by possessing the ball and playing offensively, while putting pressure on the opponent. It is a way of playing that requires high physical fitness, so he stresses the importance of the player’s readiness, and “there is no difference between a 19-year-old player and a 34-year-old player. What matters is the level of each player and his ability to provide the best performance for the team.”

Wehbe stresses clear and consistent playing principles, according to one of the specialized websites: “A clear playing style, courage in decisive moments, and patience in dealing with periods of pressure. In his communication with the team, he attaches great importance to unity, players’ independence, and tactical responsibility, continuing a training approach that gives priority to understanding the game over mere execution.”

It is expected that he will carry out a screening process for the Lions’ list, and he may also include young players who have emerged in his under-20 team that won the World Cup. There are a group of names that the Moroccan fans called for during the Regragui period, including strikers Yasser Zabiri and Othman Maama, in addition to the fast, brilliant young Strasbourg winger Yassine Jassim.

Will the Moroccan coach succeed in his new mission, the main title of which is supposed to be the happiness of the Atlas Lions fans?

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