Morocco cruised out of their group at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the Atlas Lions finishing second in Group C behind Brazil only on goal difference after drawing with the five-time champions and defeating both Scotland and Haiti. Their reward is a blockbuster round of 32 meeting with the Netherlands on Monday, June 29, at 9 p.m. ET.

One of the most striking things about Morocco’s roster is where the players were born.

How many of Morocco’s roster were born in Morocco?

Only seven members of the 26-man squad were born in Morocco, while the remaining 19 players were born abroad, with 18 of them born in Europe.

Spain has supplied six players, including captain Achraf Hakimi. Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Díaz, scorer against Brazil Ismael Saibari and defender Chadi Riad were also born in Spain.

France is another major source of talent. Issa Diop, teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi and Gessime Yassine are among the six French-born members of the squad.

Three key players were born in the Netherlands: Sofyan Amrabat, Manchester United full-back Noussair Mazraoui and Anass Salah-Eddine.

Belgium is represented by exciting attackers Bilal El Khannouss and Chemsdine Talbi, along with defender Zakaria El Ouahdi.

The only foreign-born player from outside Europe is goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who was born in Montreal, Canada, before returning to Morocco with his family when he was three years old.

Even head coach Mohamed Ouahbi reflects Morocco’s international identity. He was born in Brussels to Moroccan parents and began his coaching career in Belgium before taking charge of the national team.

Why do so many Morocco players come from Europe?

The answer lies in decades of migration.

Morocco has one of the world’s largest overseas communities, with millions of people of Moroccan origin living across Europe. Large-scale migration began during the 1960s, when countries including France, Belgium and the Netherlands recruited Moroccan workers to help fill labor shortages during the postwar economic boom. Spain later became another major destination because of its geographic proximity and growing economy.

As families settled permanently, second- and third-generation Moroccans grew up in European cities while maintaining close cultural and family ties to Morocco. Many children held dual nationality, making them eligible to represent either their country of birth or Morocco under FIFA rules.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has spent years building one of the world’s most successful diaspora scouting networks, identifying dual-national players from a young age and persuading many of them to represent Morocco instead of European nations. That strategy has become a model for several other African countries.

Morocco’s investment has already produced major success. After becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal in 2022, the Atlas Lions were also officially awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title after CAF ruled that Senegal had forfeited the final. (Senegal has appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, meaning the legal dispute over the championship remains unresolved.)

Why is soccer so popular in Morocco and among Moroccan communities in Europe?

Soccer is by far Morocco’s most popular sport, with the national team serving as a powerful symbol of national identity.

The Atlas Lions’ run to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup inspired enormous support both inside Morocco and among Moroccan communities throughout Europe, strengthening the connection between diaspora players and the national team.

For many children of Moroccan immigrants, soccer is also deeply rooted in community life. Local amateur clubs in countries such as France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands have long provided an accessible route into the game, allowing talented youngsters to develop in some of Europe’s strongest academy systems while remaining connected to their Moroccan heritage.

That combination has given Morocco the best of both worlds: players developed in elite European environments who choose to represent the country of their parents and grandparents on the international stage. It is one of the main reasons the Atlas Lions remain among the strongest teams in world soccer and why they once again enter the knockout rounds believing they can challenge anyone.

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