DOHA: Walid Regragui isn’t willing to conform. He showed his rebellious side on Tuesday and for all that he’s achieved with Morocco at this World Cup in Qatar, the 47-year-old might as well be forgiven for that.

In Morocco’s run to the semis, they’ve had an average possession of 31.6 percent over five matches with their pass completion is 76.8 percent. Despite those unflattering statistics, it is Morocco who are still standing among the final four of the World Cup, looking to down another European opposition in France on their way to the final.

No opposition has been able to breach their defence; the only goal they’ve conceded scored by one of their own.

Their counterattacking speed is blinding; the midfield absorbing pressure like a sponge before releasing it in an instant thanks to willing runners like Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal on the wings.

“We are going to play to our strengths,” Regragui asserted on Tuesday, on the eve of their semi-final meeting with France. “This idea of possession is not good if you have just two chances in the game. These numbers don’t matter and we fight with the tools we have.

“If we have possession, we will work with it but if France have possession, we will try to stop the shots on goal. If FIFA suddenly decides to give points for possession, that will be another story.”

Regragui pointed out that it’s the results that matter, taking a swipe at the European media for their ideals of how football should be played and admitted that Spanish coaching maestro Pep Guardiola “was my hero too”.

“The Europeans don’t like us because we don’t play like the way they want football to be played,” added Regragui, whose spearheading of Morocco’s barnstorming run has catapulted him to global attention.

Pictures of him training with France striker Olivier Giroud when he was on the books of French second-tier side Grenoble during his playing career have popped up. Images of him involved in an altercation with David Beckham when he featured for Spanish side Racing Santander have emerged as well.

Here, he was taking a stand for African teams. “The days are over when African teams would try to play with flair and get knocked out. There isn’t just one way of playing and I don’t care about all the numbers that are thrown up. When the World Cup started, we had no chance of winning it but we’re going to destroy those statistics tomorrow.”

Told by a reporter that Morocco’s chances of winning the World Cup stand at 12 percent at this point in time, Regragui said: “We are going to try to increase that number tomorrow.”

Regragui, who was born in France, was also asked about how growing up in a troubled neighborhood in Corbeil Essones — a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris — had helped shape him.

“Today, here, I don’t want to talk about social exclusion or the fact that I had to live in a difficult suburb,” said Regragui. “But the fact that I was from such a neighbourhood, meant that I had to fight more to get somewhere than others. It made me hungrier and here I am because I’m a good coach. And if people can be inspired by my story, it’s great.

“But tomorrow, we want to seize the chance. I don’t want to wait 40 years for African team to be here at a press conference ahead of a semi-final. My mission is to win the World Cup. Yes, I’m crazy. I’m a dreamer.”

It is such conviction that could potentially see Morocco become the first team from outside of Europe or South America win the World Cup — a tournament that’s had only eight winners in its history.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2022