Moroccan national coach Mohammed Wahebi participated in a technical session led by French football expert Arsene Wenger, the global football development director at FIFA. The session took place on Friday, October 7, 2026, as part of the African Football Confederation's strategic conference in Cape Verde. The conference brought together several coaches who led African teams in the 2026 World Cup to evaluate their performance and identify areas for improvement.
During his intervention, Wahebi stressed the importance of optimizing national team gatherings due to logistical constraints such as limited time, consecutive matches, and long-distance travel. These factors, he noted, limit the technical and tactical work that can be done during gatherings. As a result, the number of scheduled matches during some gatherings has been reduced from four to three, consisting of two official matches and one friendly.
Wahebi highlighted that having sufficient time for team gatherings is crucial for implementing technical and tactical choices and allowing players to absorb the coach's ideas. He also emphasized the significance of video analysis as a tool to complement on-field work and make up for limited training sessions. Furthermore, Wahebi raised the challenge of finding suitable opponents for friendly matches, stressing the need to compete against top-level teams.
Competing against top teams, Wahebi argued, allows players to test their abilities in real competitive conditions and helps improve their level. This is part of a broader African discussion on how to build on the continent's historic performance in the 2026 World Cup, where nine out of ten African teams qualified for the knockout stages. The goal is to create a solid foundation for further development ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Wahebi's participation in the discussion reflects Morocco's engagement in evaluating its own football trajectory and sharing best practices in preparation and technical management. This exchange aims to empower African teams to compete strongly and consistently at the highest international level. Morocco's experience in football development and its recent performances make it a valuable contributor to these discussions.
The strategic conference, which took place from October 7 to 9, 2026, brought together various stakeholders in African football to discuss ways to enhance the continent's competitiveness. The event provided a platform for coaches and football experts to share insights and strategies for improving African teams' performance on the global stage.
Key points from Wahebi's discussion include the need for efficient use of national team gatherings, the importance of video analysis in player development, and the necessity of competing against top-level teams to improve performance. These points are expected to inform strategies for African teams as they prepare for future international competitions.
Key points
- Moroccan coach Mohammed Wahebi calls for efficient use of national team gatherings.
- Wahebi emphasizes the importance of video analysis in player development.
- Competing against top teams is crucial for improving African teams' performance.
