@parismatch L’équipe du Maroc arrive au Prince Moullay Abdellah Stadium pour saluer leurs fans avant la cérémonie d’ouverture de la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations 🏆 #hakimi #CAN2025 #sportstiktok #morocco #onregardequoi ♬ DYSTINCT YAMA - DYSTINCT

🦁 When the Lions Return 🎶

Saida Fikri’s زمان الناكة “Zman Naga" (Le temps des lions) — a lament for the disappearance of the brave, principled “lions” who once protected their communities — resonates deeply with Morocco’s rising ambitions on the continental football stage, where Les Lions de l’Atlas, the national team, carry both heritage and hope. In African football culture, the “lion” is more than a mascot: it is a guardian spirit, a symbol of courage, dignity, and ancestral pride, and Morocco steps into the tournament with that legacy on its shoulders. Just as the song warns against moral drift and calls for courage in a changing era, the competition becomes a living arena where new lions must emerge, proving their strength not only through skill but through unity, resilience, and collective memory. The echo between the two is striking: one speaks of lions lost, the other of lions reborn — a nation reconnecting with its traditions, honoring its elders, and roaring its way toward a future shaped by both football and cultural identity.

🎶 🇲🇦🔥🦁⚽🌍🏟️🎉⭐🟥🟩🥁🏆🚩✨ 🔊 زمان الناكة “Zman Naga" (Le temps des lions) - Saida Fikri

---

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has kicked off with Morocco stepping onto the pitch as the team everyone expected to dominate.

But the early matches have already cracked open the script, revealing tension, vulnerability, and a continent unwilling to let the Lions of the Atlas walk unchallenged toward glory.

🦁 A Host Nation Under Immediate Pressure

Morocco began the tournament with the confidence of a team ranked first in Africa and backed by a roaring home crowd — but the opening days have shown that hosting CAN is as much a burden as it is an advantage. After a clean 2–0 win against Comoros, the Lions were forced into a frustrating 1–1 draw with Mali, a result that halted their world‑record 19‑match winning streak and reminded everyone that even giants can stumble.

📉 Momentum Interrupted, Questions Raised

The draw against Mali didn’t just cost Morocco two points — it disrupted the aura of inevitability surrounding Regragui’s squad. The team dominated early phases but faded in the second half, prompting midfielder Azzedine Ounahi to admit they “didn’t impose their game” after the break. This sudden dip in control has sparked debate: is it fatigue, tactical rigidity, or simply the psychological weight of playing at home?

🛡️ A Brilliant Squad, but a Missing Leader

Morocco still boasts one of the most complete squads in the competition, from Bounou’s reflexes to Brahim Diaz’s creativity — the latter earning and converting the penalty that opened the scoring against Mali. But the shadow over the team remains Achraf Hakimi, still recovering and yet to play a minute; his absence is felt not only tactically but symbolically, as the team’s emotional leader watches from the bench while Kylian Mbappé — wearing Hakimi’s Morocco shirt — cheers from the stands.

🐘 Rivals Smelling Blood in the Water

Morocco’s early wobble has energized their challengers. Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, and Senegal — already dangerous on paper — now see a host nation that can be destabilized, especially under pressure. Mali’s disciplined performance, physical counters, and Sinayoko’s ice‑cold penalty have become a blueprint for how to unsettle the Lions: force them into transitions, disrupt their rhythm, and test their composure.

🌍 A Tournament Already Full of Twists

With Morocco still needing a win against Zambia to secure first place in the group, the CAN 2025 has already delivered its signature unpredictability. The hosts remain favorites, but the continent has made one thing clear: this will not be a coronation — it will be a battle, shaped by pressure, pride, and the emergence of new heroes ready to challenge the Lions on their own terrain.

#LionsDeLAtlas 🦁 #CAN2025 🏆 #AfricaRising 🌍 #MoroccoRoars 🔥 #FootballHeritage ⚽