Rabat—Morocco is about to face Senegal in the AFCON 2025 final this Sunday, and Coach Walid Regragui is in the spotlight. He went from being criticized at the beginning of the tournament to being celebrated now for leading his team so far. He perfectly embodies the wild pressure that comes with managing one of Africa’s most football-passionate nations.
Few understand that reality better than Hervé Renard, former Morocco head coach and current manager of Saudi Arabia. Having experienced those intense demands firsthand, Renard really stood up for Regragui, offering a strong defense full of empathy. He knows exactly what that pressure is like.
“Yes, it’s heavy sometimes. But it’s not only difficult in Morocco,” Renard said in an interview with Eurosport, pointing out that even the most successful coaches face constant scrutiny. “Today, there are more media and social networks. Criticism is multiplied an incalculable number of times.”
Renard was quick to remind everyone that Regragui’s work needs to be judged on more than just the current tournament, pointing out Morocco’s historic performance at the 2022 World Cup as the starting point. “The most important thing for him was achieving an extraordinary 2022 World Cup by taking them to the semi-finals,” he explained.
According to Renard, the setback that followed was inevitable. “After that, of course, he went through a small dip with a Round of 16 exit at the AFCON, but that happens. It’s never easy to digest such a performance.”
For that reason, Renard believes Regragui never needed to publicly respond to criticism at the start of AFCON 2025. “If I had been in Walid’s place, I wouldn’t even have talked about it. The most important thing is to stay in your own bubble.”
Results, he insists, are the only real answer. “About his work, we can debate as much as we want — there is nothing to say except congratulations. That’s it.”
‘In football, everyone thinks they know better’
Renard also mentioned Regragui’s tactical growth as a coach. “He succeeded at the World Cup by sitting deep and counter-attacking. Four years later, he is succeeding at the AFCON with a different system and different intentions. He has a tremendous tactical range and an outstanding ability to adapt to his opponents.”
For Renard, that evolution alone silences critics. “That is a huge answer to everyone who criticized him.”
The former Ivory Coast coach also reflected on how difficult it is to be fully accepted at home. “Yes, it’s very difficult,” he said, recalling his own experience. “Those who were tearing him apart on TV panels are now dancing on the tables.”
Looking at Morocco’s historic run in this tournament, Renard sees logic and progression rather than luck. “You can’t start at full speed and win it all in the end, that never happens. The Moroccans built their tournament step by step. They beat Cameroon and Nigeria. Whatever happens, it’s a success.”
And if what happens is a win? Renard did not hesitate: “If he wins, a statue will have to be built for Walid.”
The coach further dismissed any idea that Regragui’s playing career—namely losing the 2004 final as a player—could weaken his authority. “No, that’s over now. No coach builds a career on his reputation as a player.”
Renard closed with a sharp comparison about the nature of football criticism. “If you were a surgeon, no one would come and give you advice during an operation because they wouldn’t have the expertise. In football, everyone thinks they have the expertise…”
He ended with a message that left no room for doubt. “Today, Walid is a demi-god , let him be.”
