Moroccan · Corbeil-Essonnes, France · Born 23 September 1975Walid Regragui is a Moroccan football manager who led the national team to the 2022 World Cup semifinals, the first African and Arab nation to reach that stage, and to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Walid Regragui was appointed Morocco head coach just weeks before the 2022 World Cup, and immediately oversaw one of the tournament's defining stories: defeating Spain and Portugal to make Morocco the first African and Arab nation in history to reach the semi-finals, recording 36 wins in 49 matches before his resignation in March 2026. He earned 44 caps for Morocco, helping the country reach the final of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, before retiring from playing and beginning his coaching career as a Morocco national team assistant in 2012. Regragui built his managerial reputation with FUS Rabat before taking charge of Wydad AC in 2021, leading the Casablanca club to the Moroccan league title and then the 2022 CAF Champions League, defeating Egypt's Al Ahly in the final. That success earned him the Morocco national team job in August 2022, appointed just weeks before that year's World Cup, following the departure of Vahid Halilhodžić amid disputes with the federation. Regragui's Morocco side produced one of the greatest stories in World Cup history at Qatar 2022, defeating Spain and Portugal to become the first African and Arab nation ever to reach the semifinals, eventually losing to France. He continued to lead the team through the following years, guiding it to the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil — a result initially lost to Senegal before being controversially awarded to Morocco by CAF ruling after Senegal's players briefly left the pitch in protest. Regragui resigned as Morocco head coach in March 2026, less than 100 days before the 2026 World Cup, citing the team's need for fresh energy, having overseen 36 wins in 49 matches during his tenure.
Leading Morocco to the 2022 World Cup semifinals, the first African and Arab nation to reach that stage
How They Played
As a coach, a defensive pragmatist known for compact tactical structures and fast counter-attacking transitions
Lasting Impact
Regarded as one of the most successful coaches in African football history, having built the most successful Moroccan national team of the modern era
Career Honours
- FIFA World Cup semifinalist as head coach (2022)
- Africa Cup of Nations winner as head coach (2025, awarded after CAF ruling)
- CAF Champions League winner (2022, Wydad AC)
- First African and Arab manager to reach a World Cup semifinal
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Toulouse | 1994–2000 | — |
| Racing Santander | 2000–2004 | — |
| Grenoble | 2004–2008 | — |
| Wydad AC (manager) | 2021–2022 | — |
| Morocco national team (manager) | 2022–2026 | — |
Moroccan Athletes