The goal of the Atlas Cubs is to return from Chile with the World Cup, said Mohammed Ouahbi, coach of Morocco's U20 national football team. Speaking to the press after Morocco's historic qualification for the World Cup final, secured with a 5–4 penalty shootout victory over France in Wednesday's semi-final in Valparaíso, Ouahbi said the players entered the competition with a single goal: «To bring joy to the Moroccan people and to His Majesty the King». Looking ahead to the final, the coach affirmed that the team would approach the decisive match with the same mindset, confidence, and humility, adding that the players would have a brief period of rest before resuming their preparations. Reflecting on the semi-final, Ouahbi explained that Morocco adopted an offensive strategy, applying constant pressure on the French side: «This approach paid off and allowed us to create genuine opportunities that could have ended the match in regulation time», he said. He acknowledged that fatigue occasionally left space for the opponent, which «required calm and concentration», noting that such situations are natural in a semi-final. The coach expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance throughout the tournament, emphasizing that both the players and technical staff had set the objective «to stay in contention until the very last day». He concluded by highlighting the unity and collective spirit of the squad, commending each player's contribution, particularly third goalkeeper Abdelhakim El Mesbahi, whose decisive saves during the penalty shootout helped secure Morocco's place in the final.
