Morocco’s U-17 team created history on Sunday at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, recording the largest victory in tournament history with a sensational 16-0 win over New Caledonia in Doha. The emphatic triumph keeps the Atlas Lion Cubs in contention for a spot in the knockout stage.
Coached by Nabil Baha, Morocco bounced back from earlier group-stage defeats to Japan (2-0) and Portugal (2-0) with a dominant display that showcased the strength and depth of their youth programme.
Bilal Soukrat opened the scoring in the third minute, with Walid Ibn Salah adding two quick goals in the 11th and 18th minutes. Abdelali Eddaoudi scored a brace later in the first half, while Ilyas Hidaoui and Zyad Baha also found the net, giving Morocco a commanding 7-0 lead at halftime.
The onslaught continued after the break:
- Zakari El Khalfioui (49’)
- Zyad Baha (50’)
- Nassim Haddani (56’, 59’)
- Abdellah Ouazane (73’, 90+3’)
- Ilyas El Aoud (80’)
- Andrew Steevy (own goal)
In total, ten Moroccan players contributed to the scoreline, including Soukrat, Ibn Salah, Eddaoudi, Hidaoui, Zyad Baha, El Khalfioui, Haddani, Ouazane, and El Aoud.
The victory dramatically improved Morocco’s goal difference from -8 to +8, enhancing their chances of advancing as one of the best third-placed teams. Confirmation of qualification will depend on the outcome of remaining group matches on Tuesday.
New Caledonia, who had previously drawn 0-0 with Japan and suffered heavy defeats to England (10-0) and Brazil (9-0) in the 2023 edition, finished bottom of Group B and were eliminated. Their loss to Morocco now stands as the biggest defeat in U-17 World Cup history, surpassing Spain’s 13-0 win over New Zealand in 1997.
The match was further influenced by unusual circumstances, with two New Caledonia players, Typhan Dreuko and Jean Canehmez, sent off in the first half. Morocco had already established a 3-0 lead before the red cards, allowing them to dominate the rest of the game.
Notably, Ajax forward Abdellah Ouazane, who had a failed transfer to Real Madrid last summer, was introduced in the 63rd minute and made an instant impact, scoring twice and assisting another goal in just 27 minutes.
Morocco’s historic victory not only sets a new tournament record but also sends a strong message about the nation’s growing youth football prowess.
