Morocco claims historic first World Cup title with victory over Argentina

Morocco's U-20 team, the Junior Atlas Lions, made history by defeating Argentina 2-0 in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final in Chile, securing their first-ever title in the tournament.

The final was decided early in the first half, with Yassir Zabiri emerging as the hero of the match. Zabiri confidently converted a penalty in the 12th minute to give Morocco the lead.

He then doubled their advantage just before the half-hour mark, scoring his second goal in the 29th minute to put the game beyond Argentina's reach.

Morocco's journey to the final was marked by a dramatic semi-final victory over France, which they won on penalties. Their opponents, six-time champions Argentina, had secured their spot in the final with a narrow 1-0 win against Colombia.

This triumph makes Morocco the first African nation to lift the U-20 World Cup trophy since Ghana's victory in 2009.

In the third-place playoff, Colombia edged out France 1-0 to claim the bronze medal.

Other African teams at the tournament included Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt. Both Nigeria and South Africa were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Argentina and Colombia, respectively, while Egypt did not advance past the group stage.

This victory adds to a successful period for Moroccan youth football, following their bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where they defeated Egypt 6-0 in the third-place match.