Morocco’s AFCON Journey Begins Strong Amid Mbappe’s Support

Morocco kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a solid 2-0 victory against Comoros last weekend, thanks to goals from Brahim Diaz and a spectacular bicycle kick from Ayoub El Kaabi in the second half.

However, the Atlas Lions could only manage a draw in their second match against Mali, with Diaz’s first-half penalty equalized by Lassine Sinayoko’s penalty in the second half.

Currently, Morocco leads Group A with four points from their two matches, although they still need to secure their place in the knockout stages. They will conclude the group stage with a match against Zambia on Monday night, and it would be surprising if coach Walid Regragui’s side fails to advance.

Despite their disappointment over the draw with Mali, the presence of Kylian Mbappe during the match significantly boosted Morocco’s morale as they aim for AFCON glory for the second time in their history.

Mbappe’s visit to Rabat for the Boxing Day match underscored the close bond he shares with Morocco’s captain, Achraf Hakimi, cultivated during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Hakimi mentioned that Mbappe feels at home in Morocco, stating, “Kylian Mbappe really loves Morocco. He’s enjoying our country and the Moroccan cuisine, from what I understand.”

Additionally, the 27-year-old expressed his confidence in Morocco’s potential to excel in AFCON, noting, “He said we’re candidates to win this AFCON, but there are also many strong contenders.”

Meanwhile, African powerhouses Egypt and Nigeria have both secured their spots in the next round of the competition, each amassing six points from their initial two matches. Egypt, the most successful team in AFCON history, triumphed over Zimbabwe and South Africa to confirm their knockout stage advancement, while Nigeria overcame Tanzania and Tunisia.

On the club front, Mbappe is impressing at Real Madrid, having netted 18 league goals this season, outperforming all other players in La Liga. His latest goal came against Sevilla last weekend, where he celebrated with Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘Siu’ gesture, matching the Portuguese star’s record of 59 goals in a calendar year, a milestone achieved by Ronaldo in 2013.

Following the match, Mbappe praised Ronaldo, calling him his idol and the greatest player in Real Madrid’s history. He expressed his joy at being able to emulate Ronaldo’s achievements, stating, “It’s incredible to accomplish what Cristiano did in my first full year. I wanted to give him a shout-out because he’s always been good to me.”

He also shared his excitement about scoring on his birthday while playing for his dream club, noting, “I’ve always dreamed of playing a professional match on my birthday, and even more so for my dream team. The goal was to finish the year with a win.”

Real Madrid will take a break, not playing again until January 4th when they host local rivals Real Betis. Following that, they face Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Supercopa de España on January 8th, with a chance to meet either Barcelona or Athletic Club in the final, depending on the outcome of their match on January 7th.