Morocco beats Argentina to win U20 World Cup

SANTIAGO - Morocco’s national U20 football team was crowned world champion following their spectacular 2-0 victory against favourite Argentina on Sunday at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago, Chile.

Yassir Zabiri opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick in the 12th minute, giving Morocco an early advantage. He then doubled Morocco’s lead in the 29th minute, receiving a stunning pass from Othman Maama, who was crowned the tournament’s best player.

Morocco missed a chance to score the third in the second half, and managed to keep a clean sheet despite an Argentinian onslaught.

Morocco is the second African team to win the U20 World Cup after Ghana which won it in 2009 and the first Arab country to win it.

Faouzi Laqjaa, President of the Moroccan Football Federation, said the team is dedicating the cup to King Mohammed VI thanks to his vision which is bearing its fruit.

The Moroccan monarch built the Mohammed VI Football Academy, a world-class training center for young talent, located in Salé, near Rabat, Morocco. Since its opening in 2010, the academy has been a key factor in the development of Moroccan football, producing national team players like Nayef Aguerd, Youssef En-Nesyri, and Azzedine Ounahi.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has ranked the Academy among the top three academies in the world.