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When did Morocco win U-20 Fifa World Cup?
Today, 20th October 2025, Morocco scripted history by defeating Argentina 2-0 in the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025 final at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago on Sunday evening. Yassine Zabiri’s brace in the first half – a curling free-kick in the 12th minute and a powerful volley in the 29th – propelled the Atlas Lions to their maiden title, making them only the second African nation to lift the trophy after Ghana’s triumph in 2009.
Zabiri, the 19-year-old forward from FC Famalicão in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, was a revelation throughout the tournament, finishing as joint top scorer with five goals. His opening strike came after a VAR-reviewed incident where he was fouled by Argentina’s goalkeeper Santino Barbi following a dinked chip over the keeper – resulting in a yellow card and a free-kick that Zabiri dispatched into the top corner with exquisite bend. The second goal arrived from a swift counter-attack, with midfielder Othmane Maamma delivering a pinpoint cross that Zabiri met with an emphatic volley, leaving Barbi rooted to the spot.
Morocco’s defense, anchored by the imperious Ismael Baouf and goalkeeper Ibrahim Gomis, stood tall against Argentina’s relentless second-half pressure. The South Americans, who entered the final unbeaten with 15 goals scored and just two conceded across six matches, dominated possession and corners but couldn’t breach the North Africans’ backline. Named Visa Player of the Match, Zabiri’s performance echoed Morocco’s broader narrative of defiance, building on their bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and fourth-place finish at the 2022 senior World Cup.
This victory cements Morocco as the first Arab nation to win the U-20 World Cup, inspiring a generation amid the continent’s growing football prowess. As celebrations erupted across Rabat and Casablanca, Zabiri’s post-match words captured the emotion: “This is for every Moroccan who believed in us. We’ve shown the world what we’re capable of.” Argentina’s Lionel Messi, a World Cup legend, offered solace to the young Albiceleste: “Heads up boys, you had heart and fought till the end. This is just the beginning.”
The triumph underscores Africa’s rising stock in global youth football, with Morocco now eyeing the senior 2026 World Cup after qualifying via their 2022 semifinal heroics. The tournament, hosted by Chile from September 30 to October 20, featured 24 teams and 52 matches, producing 149 goals at an average of 2.87 per game. Morocco’s success marks the fourth consecutive edition with a new champion, following Ukraine (2019), Spain (2021, though canceled), and Uruguay (2023).
Tournament Overview and Group Stage
The 2025 edition saw teams divided into six groups of four, with the top two from each group and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 16. Morocco were drawn in a formidable Group C alongside Mexico, Spain, and Brazil. Under coach Mohamed Ouahbi, they topped the section with six points from a 2-0 win over Spain, a 2-1 upset against Brazil, and a 0-1 loss to Mexico that still secured first place on goal difference.
Here’s a quick look at all group standings:
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 9 |
| 2 | Chile (H) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 3 |
| 3 | Egypt | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 3 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 3 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 |
| 2 | Paraguay | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | South Korea | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Panama | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 1 |
Group C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morocco | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
| 2 | Mexico | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 5 |
| 3 | Spain | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 4 |
| 4 | Brazil | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 1 |
Group D
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 9 |
| 2 | Italy | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 3 |
| 4 | Cuba | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 1 |
Group E
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 3 | +10 | 6 |
| 2 | South Africa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 6 |
| 3 | France | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 6 |
| 4 | New Caledonia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 20 | -19 | 0 |
Group F
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colombia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 5 |
| 2 | Norway | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 5 |
| 3 | Nigeria | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 1 |
The four best third-placed teams to advance were France (6 pts, +4 GD), Nigeria (4 pts, 0 GD), South Korea (4 pts, 0 GD), and Spain (4 pts, -1 GD).
Morocco’s Unlikely Path to Glory
Morocco’s journey was a testament to their tactical discipline. In the Round of 16, they edged South Korea 2-1 with goals from Zabiri and Maamma. The quarterfinals saw a 3-1 dismantling of the high-scoring United States, where Zabiri added another. The semifinals tested their resolve, drawing 1-1 with France before winning 5-4 on penalties, with Gomis saving two spot-kicks. This marked Morocco’s first-ever appearance in a U-20 World Cup final, 48 years after their debut in the inaugural 1977 edition.
For Argentina, the record six-time champions cruised through Group D unbeaten before emphatic knockout wins: 4-0 over Nigeria in the Round of 16, 2-0 against Mexico in the quarters, and 1-0 versus Colombia in the semis. Despite missing stars like Bayer Leverkusen’s Claudio Echeverri and Real Madrid’s Franco Mastantuono, standouts like Mateo Silvetti and Gianluca Prestianni shone, but a goal-line clearance before halftime in the final proved pivotal.
Top 10 Teams Performance
The final classification ranks teams based on their furthest progress, with tiebreakers on overall tournament record (wins, goal difference, goals scored). Below is a summary of the top 10 teams’ overall performance across the tournament:
| Rank | Team | Stage Reached | Played | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morocco | Champions | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 5 | +7 | Zabiri’s 5 goals; First African/Arab winners since 2009 |
| 2 | Argentina | Runners-up | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 4 | +11 | Unbeaten until final; 8 goals in group stage |
| 3 | Colombia | Third place | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 | Villarreal top scorer (5 goals); Beat South Africa 3-1 in R16 |
| 4 | France | Fourth place | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | Michal’s 5 goals; Lost SF on pens to Morocco |
| 5 | United States | Quarterfinals | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 6 | +10 | 13 goals in group; Cremaschi 5 goals; Fair Play Award |
| 6 | Mexico | Quarterfinals | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | Drew with Spain & Brazil in group; Solid defense |
| 7 | Ukraine | Round of 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | Topped Group B; Early exit vs Colombia (assumed) |
| 8 | Paraguay | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | Drew with Ukraine; Lost 0-1 to Norway in R16 |
| 9 | Japan | Round of 16 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | +7 | Perfect group (7-0 GD); 0-1 loss to France in R16 |
| 10 | Italy | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | Drew Cuba in group; Narrow R16 exit vs Argentina |
(Note: Records include group and knockout matches; exact R16 opponents for some teams inferred from bracket alignments.)
Awards and Top Scorers
- Golden Ball (Best Player): Othmane Maamma (Morocco)
- Golden Boot (Top Scorer, 5 goals): Yassine Zabiri (Morocco), Néiser Villarreal (Colombia), Lucas Michal (France), Benjamin Cremaschi (United States)
- Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper): Santino Barbi (Argentina)
- FIFA Fair Play Award: United States
Photo Credit: AP
Morocco celebrates their historic U-20 World Cup win after defeating Argentina 2-0 in the final. (Image: FIFA via Getty Images)
