U-17 World Cup: Morocco smash record with historic 16–0 win over New Caledonia

Morocco’s U-17 national team has recorded its name in the history books after recording the biggest win in FIFA U-17 World Cup history, thrashing New Caledonia 16–0 in their final group stage match on Sunday in Doha, Qatar.

The North Africans were ruthless from start to finish, dismantling a hapless New Caledonia side that finished the game with nine men following two red cards in the first half.

The goal-fest began in the third minute, when Bilal Soukrat opened the scoring with a composed finish.

Oualid Ibn Salah then struck twice in quick succession, in the 11th and 18th minutes, to give Morocco a comfortable early lead.

New Caledonia’s misery deepened after Typhan Dreuko was shown a red card in the 23rd minute, followed by Jean Canehmez in the 31st minute, leaving the Oceania side with just nine players on the pitch.

The second dismissal was briefly reviewed under the newly introduced green card system, a fair play initiative that allows coaches to request referee reviews for disciplinary calls.

However, after the video consultation, the referee upheld the red card decision, maintaining New Caledonia’s numerical disadvantage.

With two men down, Coach Abdelhamid Baha’s Moroccan side took full control, piling on four more goals before halftime to make it 7–0 at the break.

The relentless Moroccan attack continued in the second half. They added nine more goals, including an own goal from Steevy Andrew, to complete a record-breaking 16–0 scoreline.

Ismail El Aoud sealed the emphatic victory with a stoppage-time goal in the 90th minute, capping off a perfect evening for the young Atlas Lions.

The 16–0 victory eclipses all previous FIFA U-17 World Cup scoring records, marking Morocco’s biggest-ever win at any FIFA competition.

Despite the historic victory, Morocco’s advancement to the knockout stage remains uncertain.

With three points and a +8 goal difference, they currently sit third in their group and must await results from other pools to determine whether they progress as one of the best third-placed teams.