Former Moroccan striker Nabil El Daoudi expressed great confidence in his country's national team as they face France at 11:00 PM on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, indicating that the 'Atlas Lions' are capable of continuing their journey towards the title. El Daoudi told Al-Riyadiya in a special interview: 'We Moroccans, whether fans or former players, no longer talk about luck against any team, even if it is France. The word luck is used for teams that enter the World Cup for an honorable participation or to achieve a win or a draw; this is no longer an achievement for us. Today, our goals are different; we aspire to reach the final and win the title, why not? Morocco now has all the ingredients to achieve this goal.' He added: 'Morocco is no longer an easy opponent for any team; today we compete on equal footing against France and the biggest teams in the world. Many say that the current France is not what it was in the Qatar edition, but on the other hand, Morocco is also not the team of yesterday; it has become stronger, more mature, and possesses a great personality on the field.' He continued: 'The strength of the Atlas Lions does not lie in a particular player, but in the collective system. We have an integrated group from defense to attack; all players deliver high levels, and this is one of our greatest strengths. Some teams rely on a single star; if he is absent, the team suffers, but Morocco does not have this problem because every player can replace another.' He pointed out: 'When more than one player was absent due to injury or technical reasons, Morocco was not affected because the substitutes were ready and made a contribution. The coach succeeded in building a homogeneous team that does not rely on specific names.' Regarding the player capable of making a difference against the 'Roosters,' he said: 'I cannot name a single player because Morocco's strength lies in the group. In every match, a different player emerges, and this is the greatest proof that the Atlas Lions do not rely on a specific star but on teamwork, and this gives us a great advantage.' El Daoudi concluded his talk by sending a message to the players, saying: 'You do not need advice because most of you play in the biggest European clubs and are accustomed to pressure and big matches. The only message is to continue believing in yourselves; you represent a champion team capable of winning the World Cup. The important thing is to achieve victory. The coach has proven that he reads matches in a special way, and I hope he decides this tie during regular time and continues his path towards the title.' Striker El Daoudi is one of the names that left their mark on Moroccan football before his retirement in the 2018 season. He played for Raja Casablanca, MAS Fez, Moghreb Tetouan, and AS Salé, and had professional experiences in the UAE with Dubai and Ittihad Kalba, as well as an experience with Al-Wakrah in Qatar, before ending his career with Pyramids in Egypt.