A warm night at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos. Two different worlds meeting on the same pitch: a nation of constant winners and a team that had never lifted the trophy. Tonight, everything changed. Morocco 2 – 0 Argentina. Yassir Zabiri’s brace sealed Morocco’s greatest footballing night. For the first time in history, Morocco are U-20 World Champions. The crowd became a sea of red flags with green stars. The stadium roared. Argentina — the team with the most U-20 World Cup titles — fell to a side that hadn’t reached this stage in two decades.
THE BACKGROUND
Argentina U-20 is more than a team — it’s a footballing dynasty. Since 1979, they have taken part in 17 out of 23 tournaments and won the title a record six times. They’ve also lifted the South American U-20 Championship five times. Coming into this final, Argentina were the undisputed favourites: unbeaten throughout the tournament with six victories, 15 goals scored and only two conceded, defeating the likes of Cuba, Australia, Italy, Nigeria, Mexico and Colombia.
On the other side stood the hard-working Morocco U-20 — the team that carried dreams rather than history. For the first time in two decades, they returned to a U-20 World Cup, and this time they didn’t just want to participate — they wanted to make history. They advanced past Spain and Brazil in the group stage, defeated South Korea in the Round of 16, the USA in the quarterfinals, and edged France on penalties in the semifinal.
STUNNING START
Morocco started the game with a shot wide of the goal, handing Argentina possession and then dismantling them — a tactical approach inspired by Luis Enrique, who first used it in a Champions League final against Inter. From the first minute, Morocco came out swinging: fast transitions, quick attacks and total belief. Argentina controlled the ball, but Morocco controlled the rhythm.
Early on, a clash between Zabiri and Argentine goalkeeper Barbi led to a video review. Moroccan coach Mohamed Ouahbi demanded a red card, but the referee showed only yellow. The foul, however, proved decisive. In the 13th minute, Yassir Zabiri stepped up for the free kick and sent an unstoppable shot into the upper corner.
Minutes later, Gianluca Prestianni tried to respond, taking the team on his shoulders offensively. Receiving the ball inside in the 22nd minute, he made a lightning run, beating three defenders before being fouled at the top of the box — almost from the same position Zabiri had just scored. But Maher Carrizo’s free kick missed the target.
Then came the second blow. Around the 28th minute, Prestianni lost a dangerous ball high up the pitch, with Argentina’s defence positioned well past the halfway line. Maamma was released at full speed down the right wing, outpacing everyone, cutting inside the box and finding Zabiri at the far post. A stunning scissor kick. A brace.
Argentina reacted with an early substitution — Acuña off, Silvetti on — and finished the first half strongly, with two golden chances: Prestianni forced a superb save from Gomis, and just before the whistle, Silvetti missed a one-on-one that could have shifted the game’s momentum. His low shot rolled just wide of the right post.
SECOND HALF PRESSURE
Argentina came out flying after the break. Diego Placente made two more changes, looking to push the team higher and keep dominating possession — which at one point reached 75%. Morocco, however, continued to hit dangerously in transition. Zabiri almost completed his hat-trick with a low shot from outside the box that narrowly missed.
The Albiceleste built attacks through the flanks, constantly searching for Prestianni, but their execution faltered in the final third. Morocco’s back line stood well organised and unshakable. In the 73rd minute, the crowd rose to its feet when Maamma was subbed off for Boumassaoudi. His brilliant performance earned him a standing ovation. The substitution caused a brief scuffle when Subiabre asked him to hurry, earning a yellow card in the process.
Argentina threw everything forward in the dying minutes — even defender Tobías Ramírez joined the attack as an additional striker. But Morocco didn’t break. After five minutes of added time, the whistle blew. Moroccans went crazy at home, and here in Chile, too.
This triumph is more than a victory; it’s a symbol — a reminder that in football, history can be rewritten in 90 minutes.
@ 2017 AIPS Association Internationale De La Presse Sportive
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