Morocco against Brazil.. "Atlas Lions" in a big test

 The Moroccan national football team faces its first test after the historic participation in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when it meets its counterpart, the Brazilian national team, on Saturday, at the Grand Stadium in the city of Tangiers.

The "Atlas Lions" team achieved a historic achievement during its participation in the World Cup in Qatar, after it reached the semi-finals, and became the first Arab and African team to reach this role.

The friendly match between Morocco and Brazil is part of the preparatory matches that the Moroccan national team will play in preparation for the qualifiers for the African Cup finals in Ivory Coast in 2024. The Brazilian national team, which has previously won the World Cup five times, leads the FIFA rankings for teams, while Morocco occupies the national team. 11th place in the world ranking.

First appearance after the World Cup

Observers of football in Morocco considered that the confrontation with Brazil is an occasion to confirm the strong level with which the "Atlas Lions" appeared in the World Cup in Qatar.

Journalist and sports analyst Badr al-Din al-Idrisi said in a statement to "Sky News Arabia" that the Moroccan Football Association's choice to have the first appearance of the lions after the World Cup in Qatar with a global team of the size of the "Samba" team is a gift to the Moroccan fans who supported the lions, after the achievement. The historic that they achieved in the 2022 World Cup finals.

The spokesman adds that this match represents for national coach Walid Regragui the beginning of a new stage in preparation for the upcoming African Cup of Nations, which the Moroccan national team will enter as the most prominent candidate to win it.

And Al-Idrisi continues, that the match between Morocco and Brazil is a marketing for the image of Morocco in the field of organizing major sporting events, and supports its candidacy file to organize the 2025 African Cup of Nations and its tripartite candidacy file with Spain and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup.

"Lions" lineup

Former player and coach Driss Loumari expects the Moroccan coach to rely on a squad mostly of players who shone in the World Cup, in order to create more harmony within the national team in preparation for the upcoming competitions.

Al-Lomari believes, in a statement to "Sky News Arabia", that the infusion of new blood into the Moroccan national team also paves the way for the preparation of a new generation of players, which will contribute to strengthening the squad that achieved the historic journey in the World Cup in Qatar, and made the Moroccans' joys.

Match tickets sold out

 It is expected that the Morocco-Brazil match, which is hosted by the Tangier Grand Stadium, will witness a large public presence, as the ticket sales process witnessed a remarkable turnout, which led to their depletion less than 24 hours after their launch.

Local media reported news that tickets for the match were offered on the black market at prices of about $500 per ticket, which had an original price of about $50. The Tangier Grand Stadium, which recently hosted the FIFA Club World Cup, can accommodate 68,000 fans.

The fans of the Moroccan national team will have a date next Tuesday with another friendly match that will bring together the "Atlas Lions" with the Peruvian national team, and it will be held at the "Wanda Metropolitano" stadium in Madrid, Spain.