Morocco daring to dream: Regragui

DOHA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Morocco head coach Walid Regragui said his team is dreaming of World Cup glory after reaching the semifinals of football's showpiece tournament with a 1-0 win over Portugal on Saturday.

Youssef En-Nesyri put the Atlas Lions ahead with a towering header on the stroke of halftime and they withstood a tense finale to become the first African team to reach the semifinals.

"When you are a small team you need to dream and believe," Regragui told a news conference. "We haven't come to the World Cup to play only three games and make up the numbers. Football is the best sport in the world because it allows you to dream. That's my message to the team and to the continent [of Africa]. I think the world is now with Morocco."

Regragui's men have conceded just one goal this tournament - an own goal against Canada in the group stage.

Morocco had just 26% of possession and nine shots on goal at Al-Thumama stadium, three fewer than Portugal. But Regragui said his team's grit and determination were more important than "talent and money".

"I don't think my players have run so much in their lives," he said. "We weren't as good as we were against Spain [in the round of 16]. When you play with heart you give yourself chances. Portugal are such a great team and without that desire and passion you don't have a chance."

Regragui said his team had won the hearts of fans throughout Africa as well as neutral observers.

"We are becoming the loved team of this World Cup. If you have passion belief you can succeed, my players have shown that. It's no miracle what we've achieved here. We've beaten Belgium, Spain and Portugal without letting in a goal. We've made our people and the continent, as well as people around the world, very proud."

He added: "Why don't we dream of winning the World Cup? It doesn't cost anything to dream. We haven't achieved anything yet but every team who plays us from now on will be afraid because they'll know that they're going to have to be at their best to beat us."