Morocco and Tajikistan are gearing up for the highly-anticipated 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup showdown today at 4 p.m. at the Humo Arena in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Ranked 6th in the world, Morocco enters the tournament as one of Futsal’s most dominant teams. The North African side has proven itself against the best teams globally, with a 50-game unbeaten streak that was recently broken by Spain. Morocco wasted no time in avenging that loss, defeating Spain 4-1 just two days later.
Since their narrow 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Brazil in the last World Cup, the Atlas Lions have beaten some of the world’s top futsal teams, including Argentina, Iran, and Spain
Their star player, Sofiane El Mesrar, has consistently been a standout, having been a finalist for the Best Men’s Player award two years in a row.
Adding to their momentum, Morocco is expected to be backed by a large presence of fans who have traveled to Tashkent to support their team. However, they might face stiff competition from Tajikistan’s supporters, who have crossed the border in large numbers, eager to cheer on their team in their World Cup debut.
“I think we have the best team in the world and the best coach in the world,” Moroccan pivot Soufian Charraoui told FIFA ahead of the match. “We’re not underestimating how difficult it will be to win the World Cup, but we’ll do everything to finish first in our group and then get the title. I believe we can do it.”
Meanwhile, Tajikistan comes into this match as the underdog, currently ranked 34th in the world. Despite their lower ranking, the team has been riding a wave of enthusiasm, as this marks their first-ever appearance in the FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Tajikistan’s key players, including Firuz Bekmurodov, Dilshod Salomov, and Fayzali Sardorov, have become national heroes, with goalkeeper Bekmurodov proving his talent not just in defending, but also in scoring at the club level.
Fully aware of the challenge that lies ahead, Bekmurodov acknowledged Morocco’s strength, saying: “We have been drawn into the group of death. Morocco is the African champion and a very tough opponent. But we will have a lot of support and we want to make more history for our country.”