French network "RMC Sport" confirmed that Morocco's national team coach Walid El Rakraki is determined to leave his position about three weeks after "Atlas Lions" lost in the African Nations Cup final on their own soil against Senegal.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (Moroccan Football Union) has denied circulating news about Walid El Rakraki's resignation, a few months before the start of the 2026 World Cup finals, in which "Atlas Lions" will participate.
The federation responded to a report by "Foot Mercato" that claimed El Rakraki (50 years old) had resigned, firmly denying "the rumors circulating in some media outlets regarding the national team coach, Walid El Rakraki, resigning from his duties."
El Rakraki determined to leave the Moroccan national team
However, French network "RMC Sport" confirmed that El Rakraki – despite the official statement – still wishes to resign and has already entered discussions with the federation regarding this matter.
It stated: "The Moroccan coach is suffering from exhaustion after a challenging African Nations Cup, which ended in a tough loss to Senegal after a thrilling match."
The network explained that the Royal Federation has not yet decided to approve El Rakraki’s departure, a few months before the World Cup, where Morocco will face teams from Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti in Group C.
Tarik Sektioui, coach of the Moroccan local team, appears to be the frontrunner to succeed El Rakraki – as per the network – noting that his name has been continuously mentioned as a potential successor following his success in leading the second team to victory in the African Nations Championship for local players and the Arab Cup.
The coaching journey of Walid El Rakraki
El Rakraki's actual coaching journey began in 2014 with Fath Rabat Club, where he distinguished himself by building a cohesive team based on discipline and intelligent deployment, culminating his experience with the Moroccan League title in 2016, the club's first-ever title.
After establishing his name locally, he moved to Qatar to coach Al Duhail, where he confirmed his ability to succeed abroad by winning the Qatari League title, thereby cementing his position as a coach who combines theoretical knowledge with the practical ability to guide groups.
However, his time at WAC Casablanca was a major milestone in his career, achieving a historic double in just one year (2022) by leading them to win both the Moroccan League and the African Champions League.
This continental reputation is what prompted the Moroccan Football Federation to appoint him as the head of the national team a few months before the 2022 World Cup. There, El Rakraki crafted one of the most glorious pages in African football history, leading Morocco to the World Cup semi-finals as the first Arab and African coach to achieve such a milestone.
