Moroccan former national team striker Soufiane Alloudi confirmed that physical fatigue and excessive travel were the main reasons behind the Atlas Lions' 0-2 loss to France on Thursday and their elimination from the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, stressing that the players put on a great tournament despite the elimination. He told 'Al-Riyadiya': 'The team paid the price for the great effort it made throughout the tournament; the frequent transfers clearly affected the players' readiness, which was reflected in their performance against France.' The striker, who played 17 international matches for the Moroccan national team and scored seven goals, added that the French team decided the match with their technical superiority, but he pointed out that Moroccan players were not in their best physical condition. He explained that the individual capabilities of the French team made the difference, along with the fatigue that plagued the Moroccan players after a series of strong matches. Alloudi refused to blame the coaching staff for the loss, stating that the coach faced difficult circumstances, including injuries to a number of influential elements, along with declining physical readiness, which limited the team's ability to implement his ideas on the field. The former Moroccan international described reaching the quarterfinals as a 'real success,' noting that the current edition, which includes 48 teams, imposed a more difficult journey, and that Morocco continued its presence among the world's top teams after the achievement it made in the 2022 World Cup. He explained that the team left with important gains, most notably the emergence of a group of young players and the continuation of a technical project capable of building for the future, calling on Arab teams to invest in youth categories and qualify local coaches, and to work calmly and with belief in capabilities in order to achieve better results in the 2030 World Cup. Regarding the development of the Saudi Professional League, Alloudi praised the technical level reached by the competition after attracting a large number of international stars, considering that it has become one of the most prominent leagues in the continent. He added that the league's development should also reflect on the Saudi national team, demanding that local players be given a larger share of participation, and attention be paid to the youth category sector and the qualification of local coaches, so that Saudi football benefits from the boom the league is experiencing at the national team level.