History against Morocco in Africa Cup of Nations semi-final showdown with Nigeria.
Hosts Morocco are hoping to overcome a poor Africa Cup of Nations semi-final record when they take on Nigeria in their last-four encounter in Rabat today, with history not on their side.
There will be great expectation that they can end their 50-year wait for the African crown, but Nigeria present a formidable opponent and the Moroccans have not always been at their best in this year’s competition.
They will find little comfort in the history books, with the past littered with disappointment.
When Morocco lifted the trophy in 1976, there was no semi-final round. Instead, a second group stage was used to determine the winner, and they finished top with five points, ahead of Guinea (4) and Nigeria (3).
Morocco have therefore featured in four previous semi-final matches at the continental championship and emerged victorious just once, which came 22 years ago in Tunisia, where they later lost 2-1 in the final.
On that occasion, they defeated Mali 4-0 in the semi-final, in one of the most one-sided last-four clashes the competition has seen.
Before that, there were three semi-final defeats. They lost 1-0 to hosts and eventual champions Nigeria in 1980, and 1-0 to hosts and champions Egypt in 1986.
They were edged 1-0 by Cameroon on home soil in 1988, with the Indomitable Lions also going on to lift the trophy, meaning all three of Morocco’s semi-final defeats came against eventual champions.
Nigeria will see that as a good omen if they can advance this year.
Morocco have been workmanlike and largely efficient throughout the 2025 edition, without ever quite hitting top gear.
Several players have set new benchmarks for the country at the continental finals, including Brahim Díaz, who has scored in five successive matches, the first Moroccan to achieve that feat at a Cup of Nations.
He is now one goal shy of Ahmed Faras’ all-time Cup of Nations scoring record for Morocco.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has become the first Moroccan goalkeeper to keep four clean sheets at a Cup of Nations, also a team record for a single finals.
Morocco have scored five set-piece goals at the 2025 tournament, more than any other team, something Nigeria will need to be wary of.
