Ferrer on what Rwanda can learn from World Cup heroes Morocco

National team head coach Carlos Alos Ferrer says much focus should be put on foreign-based players if Amavubi are to emulate the success story of the Moroccan national team in future. The Spanish tactician, who previously coached Moroccan Premier League giants AS FAR Rabat, mentioned that Northern Africa country's squad which reached the semifinals of the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar had many foreign players with only two being locals and that did the trick for them. If we (Rwanda) want to follow the path of Morocco and reach that level, we must give more credence to foreign based players, Ferrer told Times Sport. Morocco had 24 foreign players in their world cup squad with two being home based. In all, 17 of their 26-man squad were born in the diaspora, mainly in European countries. Some Europe-born players who are part of the Morocco team include Sevilla shot stopper Yassine Bounou was born in Canada, Hakim Ziyech, Noussair Mazraoui and Sofyan Amrabat born in the Netherlands, skipper Romain Saiss born in France and Paris Saint-Germain defender right-back Achraf Hakimi born in Spain. All these players chose to play for Morocco over their native countries and have been the live wires of the Moroccan success story that no African team has ever achieved. Out of the 26 players Morocco sent to Qatar, only two were from the Botola Pro which is the Moroccan Premier League. The rest 24 were all foreign based players. They are of good quality and it was the major thing which helped them, Ferrer noted. Like Morocco, Sven Kalisa, Gilbert Ishimwe, Glenn Habimana and Hakim Sahabo are some foreign-based players who decided to play for Rwanda since Ferrer was appointed to coach Amavubi in March, with the Spanish still scouting more players out of the country and give them a chance to represent their country, just like Morocco has been applying the model over the past few years. Morocco became the first African country to reach the FIFA World Cup semifinals. They lost 2-0 to defending champions France on Wednesday, December 14, and will now face Croatia Saturday, December 17, in the third place match. Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) has signed a new agreement with the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) aimed at improving football infrastructure in the country. Rwandan players also travel to the Northern African country for advanced medical treatment as part of another partnership existing between the two countries since they signed it in 2015. The partnerships are an indication of a good relationship existing between the two countries and Rwanda would take advantage of the ties to learn more lessons for the country from a football perspective.

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Ferrer on what Rwanda can learn from World Cup heroes Morocco