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Morocco and Brazil will kick off their World Cup campaign with a match that is eagerly awaited by football fans around the world. The clash between two teams ranked among the top in FIFA's rankings has revived an old debate in Africa: which nation deserves to be called the "Brazil of Africa"?
After Morocco's historic appearance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the "Atlas Lions" became the first African national team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup, many analysts have begun to wonder whether this epithet now belongs to the Moroccans.
However, the history of this comparison begins much earlier. For decades, it was Ghana that was identified as the “Brazil of Africa”. The legendary Ghanaian coach, CK Giamfi, inspired by the success of Pele and Garrincha’s Brazil, traveled to South America to study the philosophy and playing methods of the “Selecao”.
Upon his return to his homeland, he applied some of the Brazilian tactical principles to the Ghana national team, including the famous 4-2-4 formation. The results were immediate: Ghana won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963 and 1965, building an identity based on spectacular, attacking football, which earned them the nickname they still know today.
Morocco is currently ranked seventh in the FIFA world rankings, just a few places behind Brazil. In addition to results, comparisons are also based on the evolution of the Moroccan national team's playing style.
Under Mohamed Ouahbi, Morocco aims to build a more ambitious, creative and offensive style of football. At the heart of the project are possession, positional movements and technical quality, elements often identified with Brazilian football.
This profile is also reinforced by the individual talent of footballers such as Ashraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, Ismael Saibari, Neil El Ajnaui, Ayoub Buadi and Shemsdin Talbi, who represent a generation with extraordinary technical potential.
However, many experts believe that the comparison has its limits. Brazil remains a unique case in football history, with an identity built over decades of success and a distinct footballing culture. In the same way, Morocco has its own history, traditions and specific characteristics.
For this reason, although its successes and style of play have drawn numerous comparisons to Brazil, many argue that Morocco does not need to be seen as the "Brazil of Africa", but as a footballing powerhouse with its own distinct identity.
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