The soccer juniors from Morocco caused a big surprise and were crowned U20 world champions for the first time. The talents from North Africa are the focus of many European clubs.
Africa’s runner-up beat favorites Argentina 2-0 (2-0) in the final in Santiago in Chile on Sunday (October 19, 2025). The match winner in front of around 43,000 spectators was striker Yassir Zabiri from the Portuguese first division club Famalicão with his two goals (12th and 29th minute).
Argentina dominated visually, had 71 percent of ball possession, but struggled to create clear scoring chances. The Moroccan defense remained organized and blocked the attack attempts more or less confidently.
Numerous Bundesliga teams on site
Next to Zabiri in the final was Othmane Maamma, who plays for the English second division club FC Watford plays, most conspicuous actor. The U20 World Cup is of course a very special goal for Scouts from all over the world who must have taken a close look at the North African team. In addition to Zabiri and Maamma, Morocco’s Gessime Yassine was another offensive player who probably aroused the interest of numerous talent scouts from European professional clubs during the tournament.
The noble technician is with the French second division team USL Dunkirk under contract – at least six Bundesliga teams are said to be interested in him. VfB Stuttgart, RB Leipzig and Werder Bremen, among others, are reportedly interested in the 19-year-old, who grew up in France.
Sought after: Morocco’s Gessime Yassine
Several feetball heavyweights fail
Argentina was already the fourth major football nation that Morocco’s juniors were able to beat during the tournament. At the start, the North Africans defeated Spain 2-0, followed by a 2-1 win against Brazil. This meant that they had already secured their place in the knockout phase; the 1-0 defeat against Mexico at the end of the group phase was no longer of any consequence.
In the round of 16, the Moroccans beat South Korea 2-1, and in the quarter-finals they won 3-1 against the highly rated USA. In the semi-finals, Morocco eliminated another big favorite, France. After 90 and 120 minutes the score was 1-1, and the North Africans had the better nerve in the penalty shootout.
After 2009 – second winner from Africa
The success of the tournament debutant is the second for an African team at the U20 World Cup after that of Ghana in 2009 and the next coup of the Kingdom after fourth place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and bronze at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
In 2030, Morocco will be one of the three main hosts of the World Cup, alongside Spain and Portugal. Argentina with Leverkusen’s Alejo Sarco and coach Diego Placente, the most successful U20 team with six titles, has not won the tournament since 2007 in Canada.