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While trying to motivate his team, Regragui told his players that France were the worst team they had played at the World Cup knockout stages.
Moroccan coach Wallid Regragui has revealed that he told his team during halftime of their World Cup semifinal loss to France that Les Bleus had been the worst team they had faced at the World Cup.
‘The worst team since the start of the direct elimination matches’
In an interview with L’Equipe, Regragui revealed that when Morocco were down 1-0 at the break, Regragui had to point out to the team that they had faced much better teams in other knockout rounds of the World Cup and triumphed over them.
However, Regragui’s motivational tactic did not work, as France scored again in the second half to run out 2-0 winners and book a place in the final ahead of Morocco.
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The 47-year-old trainer said, “At halftime, I told my players that it was the worst team since the start of the direct elimination matches.”
Regragui was also quick to clarify that he was speaking about the French team on the night and not the French team in general, whom he holds in very high esteem.
“I’m talking about this match, of course, not about France in general, which is a great team,”
Regragui led Morocco to the brink of glory
French-born Regragui took Morocco to the brink of a first World Cup final for an African team and was regarded as one of the best coaches at the World Cup.
Morocco reached the semifinals, but it was a step too far, as they lost to France and then lost the third-place playoff to Croatia.
Despite being unable to go all the way, Regragui has received plaudits aplenty, including being nominated in the Coach of the Year category for the prestigious FIFA The Best awards.
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