FCT FA Boss Adam Moukhtar advocates Morocco model to revive Nigerian football 

By Wale Mustapha

Mohammed Adam Mouktar, Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory  Football Association, FCTFA feels Nigerian football must imbibe model that has made the Atlas Lions of Morocco the beautiful bride of this World Cup.

Morocco is the first Arab country to go this deep into a World Cup and the first African country to reach the semifinals of FIFA World Cup.

They have now surpassed the historic feats of Ghana in 2010, Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) that had crossed the quarter-final Rubicon.

With the Super Eagles unable to reach the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Mouktar said the needful must be done urgently towards rebuilding the national team and indeed Nigerian football.

“Indeed, it is unfortunate that we are not at the World Cup 2022. I can see the pain Nigerians are going through (watching the World Cup without the Super Eagles)  and we must ensure we always  strive to be at the world stage in any football competition because this is a country that breathes football,” he started.

“A generation of players and coaches lost the chance to be at the World Cup in Qatar and even some fans may not be around  in four years’ time; it’s painful we are not in Qatar.”

Mouktar, a member of a three-man NFF task force on youth football also opined Nigeria must embrace the ‘spirit and letters’ of what has made Moroccan football the pride of the continent.

“Morocco stands apart because they have a long term plan and they have been working  meticulously at it for so many years now and this is the result of what  we  are seeing at Qatar 2022,” he continued.

“They won against to teams in a very tough group  and emerged  winners of that group which is no mean achievement and what makes it sweeter is the fact  that  they are coached by a Moroccan (Walid Regragui).

“This is a massive statement to show the world they believe they can do anything any other top global powerhouse can do. The whole continent  is behind  them and we are very proud of what they have done so far.”