Morocco National Team AFCON History Explained for Beginners
The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is one of the most prestigious tournaments for national teams in Africa, and Morocco has a rich history in the competition. In this article, we will explore the history of the Moroccan national team in AFCON and what makes them a force to be reckoned with.
Early Years (1957-1970)
The first AFCON was held in 1957 in Sudan, and Morocco made its debut in the tournament. They finished third in their group stage, which was a respectable start for the team. Over the next decade, Morocco continued to participate in AFCON, but their results were inconsistent. They failed to advance beyond the group stage in most tournaments.
- 1957: Finished third in group stage
- 1959: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1962: Finished third in group stage
- 1963: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1965: Finished third in group stage
- 1968: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1970: Finished third in group stage
Breakthrough and Success (1976-1990)
It wasn’t until the 1970s that Morocco started to make a name for themselves in AFCON. They finished runners-up in 1976, losing to Guinea in the final. This was a major breakthrough for the team, and they continued to improve their results over the next decade. They won the tournament in 1976, but also finished third in 1980 and 1986.
- 1976: Won the tournament
- 1978: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1980: Finished third
- 1984: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1986: Finished third
- 1988: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1990: Failed to advance beyond group stage
Modern Era (1992-2020)
In the 1990s and 2000s, Morocco continued to participate in AFCON, but their results were inconsistent. They failed to advance beyond the group stage in most tournaments. However, they did finish as runners-up in 2004, losing to Tunisia in the final.
- 1992: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1994: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1996: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 1998: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2000: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2002: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2004: Finished runners-up
- 2006: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2008: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2010: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2012: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2013: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2015: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2017: Failed to advance beyond group stage
- 2019: Failed to advance beyond group stage
Conclusion
The Moroccan national team has a rich history in AFCON, with several notable achievements, including winning the tournament in 1976 and finishing as runners-up in 2004. While their results have been inconsistent in recent years, they remain a force to be reckoned with in African football.
