Morocco’s U-20 World Cup champions receive warm welcome from crowd

Moroccan’s gather to welcome Morocco’s U-20 national football team, who were crowned 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup champions, as they are paraded in Rabat on October 22, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)

The Moroccan team were greeted by thousands of fans in Rabat on Wednesday for a parade to celebrate their historic victory in the Under-20 World Cup last week.

Morocco became the first Arab country to win the tournament with a 2-0 triumph over favourites Argentina in Sunday’s final in Chilean capital Santiago.

Before the parade, Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan presided over a ceremony in honour of the team at the royal palace.

The players were then driven through the streets of Rabat on an open-top bus, to the delight of jubilant supporters and to the sound of vuvuzelas.

“It’s a great achievement, they filled us with joy and waved our country’s flag high,” Youssef, a 34-year-old salesman, told AFP.

Yassir Zabiri, who plays for Famalicao in Portugal, scored twice in the final to end the tournament as the joint top-scorer with five goals.

“The future of our football is in good hands. Well done, guys, U20 world champions,” Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi, who helped the senior team reach the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, posted on social media.

Morocco will host the Africa Cup of Nations later this year and will be a co-host of the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

AFP