he result of the Royal Vision, the Mohammed VI Football Academy has established itself as a hub of continental expertise, combining state-of-the-art infrastructure and innovative methodology, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
As the kickoff of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco approaches, “Nayef Aguerd, Azzedine Ounahi, Oussama Targhalline, Youssef En-Nesyri, and Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal will embody the narrative of a shared history. It is the story of a project that has matured over time, born of a Royal Vision and now a reality at the pinnacle of continental football: the Mohammed VI Football Academy,” writes CAF on its official website.
For this AFCON tournament played on home soil, Morocco is moving forward with a powerful symbol: “five international players trained at the same center, playing at the highest level, in a competition where the pressure, demands, and exposure have reached their peak.”
The Mohammed VI Academy was the result of a vision and initiative by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him,” said Tarik El Khazri, head of recruitment, quoted by CAF.
“Today, we are talking about a genuine AMF brand,” a signature recognized in Morocco as elsewhere in Africa, insisted Tarik El Khazri.
This brand was evident in the game, technical mastery under pressure, accuracy in crowded areas, but also in attitude. “Humility in the face of hard work, and a clear awareness of representing something that transcends the individual,” he continued.
For Tarik El Khazri, the presence of these five players at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was not an end in itself, but rather a validation, explaining that “the maturity of a model is measured by its ability to produce starters and leaders in high-pressure situations, not just professionals.”
Nayef Aguerd embodied this rigor. A composed central defender, he established himself as a natural leader in the team. Azzedine Ounahi symbolized the ability to read the game and manage the tempo. Oussama Targhalline brought discipline and balance to the midfield. Youssef En-Nesyri, who arrived at the Academy at a very young age, transformed his athletic potential into top-level performance. As for Aït Boudlal, he embodied continuity, this rising generation already shaped by the same standards.
Nasser Larguet, the Academy’s first technical director, recalled that the task seemed immense at first, arriving “with a blank slate on a project led by HM the King.” Everything was designed from scratch: architecture, methodology, supervision, educational model. Between 2007 and 2010, the Academy took shape. Larguet traveled the country, observed more than 15,000 children, and selected only 37. The selection process was radical, but deliberate.
Rapidly, the initiative moved beyond the laboratory stage. “In the second year, players from the Academy joined the U17, U20, and Olympic teams,” explained Larguet. The dynamic had been set in motion.
The Mohammed VI Academy, notes CAF, embodies a vision designed to raise the profile of Moroccan football in the long term, focusing on long-term development rather than immediate results.
The figures confirm this solidity. Of the 57 players supported under Nasser Larguet’s leadership, 47 have turned professional, 15 have played in Europe, and several have competed in World Cups, Olympic Games, and African Cup of Nations tournaments. Moroccan training “was no longer a promise, but a structured pathway.”
For Nayef Aguerd, this home-grown AFCON takes on a special significance. “Being part of this team playing in the AFCON in Morocco has been a huge honor,” said the defender, expressing his gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for “his global vision of Moroccan and African football.”
Morocco is aiming for a continental trophy that has eluded it since 1976, but beyond the result, it has consolidated, over time, a patiently built methodological dominance, concludes CAF.
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