Mohamed Ouahbi: Morocco ready for Brazil FIFA World Cup battle

Speaking to reporters before the Group C encounter, Ouahbi said the mood within the camp remained positive as Morocco prepared to face one of the tournament favourites.

"We are very happy to be here," said Ouahbi. "The World Cup atmosphere is building and we are looking forward to the challenge ahead."

The coach believes Morocco are in a strong position after their preparations and recent performances, highlighting the belief and unity within the squad.

"We are very confident," he said. "We trust the physical condition of the players, the work we have done and the principles and values we have built as a team. We are in a good position to start the tournament and our aim is to improve with every match."

Morocco suffered a setback before the competition with injuries ruling out Abde Ezzalzouli and Nayef Aguerd. However, Ouahbi insisted the team had prepared for such situations and would not change its approach.

"All the players available are fit and ready to play," he explained. "We feel sorry for Abde and Nayef because they are important players, but we had already considered the possibility of missing players and found solutions. We will stay true to our principles."

Captain Achraf Hakimi also spoke confidently ahead of the clash, acknowledging the threat posed by Brazil and star winger Vinicius Junior while backing Morocco's ability to compete.

"Everyone knows Brazil and the quality they have," said Hakimi. "I have faced Vinicius many times and he is a great player. To stop players like him, you must defend as a team and have clear ideas."

The Paris Saint-Germain defender believes Morocco are fully prepared for the challenge.

"We have trained for this type of match and I feel ready," he said. "I have the confidence needed to produce a strong performance."

Hakimi also stressed that Morocco should not be underestimated despite facing the most successful nation in World Cup history.

"We respect Brazil, their history and their players," he said. "But we also have quality. In Africa, people call us the 'Brazilians of Africa'. We have talented players and our own strengths."

Morocco made history by becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final in 2022, but Hakimi said the squad's attention remains fixed on the immediate task.

"We are only thinking about tomorrow," he said. "We want to start in the best possible way. After that, we will take it match by match and try to go as far as possible. Right now, our focus is on delivering our best performance and winning the game."

Morocco begin their Group C campaign against Brazil before taking on Scotland and Haiti as they look to build on their historic achievements from four years ago.