In a historic achievement for African football, Morocco captured the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup crown after defeating Argentina 2-0 in the final on Monday morning in Santiago, Chile.
Rising star Yassir Zabiri was the hero of the night, scoring in the 12th and 29th minutes to silence the Argentine crowd and secure the North African side’s first-ever world title.
Argentina pushed hard after the break, but Morocco’s solid defense held firm. Captain Rayan El-Mourabet anchored the backline, while goalkeeper Youssef Bakkali made several crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet, according to ESPN.
Morocco’s path to glory was remarkable. Drawn in a challenging group with Spain, Brazil, and Mexico, the Atlas Lions finished top despite an early loss to Mexico. They then defeated Brazil and Spain in style to advance.
In the knockout rounds, Morocco beat South Korea in the round of 16, outclassed the United States in the quarter-finals, and edged France on penalties in the semi-final before sealing the title against Argentina.
The victory makes Morocco only the second African team to lift the U-20 World Cup trophy, after Ghana’s 2009 triumph over Brazil. It also marks the country’s first FIFA trophy at any level, cementing its growing status as a rising football powerhouse.
