With High Morale… The Indoor Lions Ready to Compete in the Uzbekistan World Cup in Search of Their First Title
The Atlas Lions are set to play their first match in the 2024 Futsal World Cup against Tajikistan tomorrow, Monday, in Tashkent, having completed all their preparations with great confidence and a sense of realism.
National team players confirmed their significant ambitions for the tournament in statements to the press today, Sunday, during their final training session before their opening match in Group E, while at the same time emphasizing the challenges posed by such a competition.
National team player Sofiane Chahrani stated, “For us, all the teams participating in the World Cup have high levels, and all matches are similar to each other.”
He added, “We do not underestimate our opponents; we will give everything we have and will play tomorrow to win,” confirming the need for caution regarding the results of preparatory matches, which differ from the context of the World Cup.
He pointed out, “We have prepared for the competition as necessary; of course, we played friendly matches against teams that play similarly to the Tajikistan national team, but the competitions in the World Cup are different.”
The player highlighted the weight of the responsibility, emphasizing that the national team is determined to achieve better results than it did in the last edition in Lithuania in 2021.
He continued, “We know we carry the hopes of all fans and have the will to make a distinguished path. In the last World Cup, the national team was among the top eight teams. Now we aspire to achieve an even better achievement and, why not, to win the title, even though this task will not be easy.”
In the same context, national team player Anas Dahani stated that the first match is always difficult, but thanks to the harmony of the group and good preparation, they can accomplish the task under the best circumstances.
He said, “We benefit from the instructions of coach Hicham Daki and the advice of experienced players to deliver performances that meet the expectations of Moroccans and enter the competition well.”
He added, “During our preparations, we faced many styles of play in friendly matches to prepare for the different playing styles we will encounter in the World Cup,” confirming that the new players in the team are integrating perfectly.
He highlighted that “the national team includes young players who are gradually integrating into the group, thanks to the support of experienced players and the coach.”
The Moroccan national team, which arrived in Tashkent early (on September 2) to allow ample time for the players to acclimate, will play in Group E alongside the defending champions Portugal, Panama, and Tajikistan.
