Morocco returned to Wafcon for the first time since 2000 when the country hosted the 2022 edition, but the hosts, who will also stage the 2026 finals in March, have now firmly established themselves as one of the continent’s elite sides.
However, their performances this month have not been as convincing as three years ago, given they fell behind twice against Zambia in the opening game and then trailed Ghana at half-time in the last four.
Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi has looked shaky on several occasions, 34-year-old star player and captain Ghizlane Chebbak has faded in the knockout stage and winger Sanaa Mssoudy has not displayed the level of trickery and impact which saw her named as the best player at last year’s Women’s African Champions League and in the 2024-25 Moroccan league campaign.
Yet Chebbak, the joint-top scorer in the tournament with four goals, is still capable of producing in crucial moments and striker Ibtissam Jraidi provides a cutting edge up front.
“I’ve seen a Moroccan team that doesn’t really give up even when they are trailing,” Desire Oparanozie, a four-time Wafcon winner with Nigeria, told BBC Sport Africa.
“They’ve been very impressive. They keep coming at you and that’s really a positive thing.”
Vilda’s appointment was controversial, given he left the Spain job amid the fallout from an incident at the 2023 Women’s World Cup final when then-federation president Luis Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso without her consent.
Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault and fined, while Vilda was cleared of allegations of coercion.
Yet his presence in the Morocco dugout has divided supporters – even if he could create history by helping a North African side win Wafcon for the first time while also achieving a unique personal double.
“Morocco are going to need a coach to make them more than the sum of their parts to win this final,” Algerian journalist Maher Mezahi told the BBC World Service.
“I’ve even seen arguments to say that Morocco hiring Vilda, if he gets them to win the Wafcon, would be worth it because it’s going to do so much more for the women’s game – even if that is a little bit tainted with him being the coach.”
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