Farewell to Ahmed Faras, the Man Who Gave Morocco Its Greatest Football Moment

National hero and AFCON 1976 champion remembered as a pioneering striker who led Morocco’s golden generation with humility, loyalty, and unmatched talent.

Mohammedia, Morocco – July 16, 2025

Morocco is in mourning following the death of legendary footballer Ahmed Faras, who passed away on Tuesday, July 16, at the age of 78 after a long illness. Widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of the 20th century, Faras leaves behind a legacy that transcends sport, uniting generations with memories of victory, grace, and unwavering national pride.

Born on December 7, 1946, in the coastal city of Mohammedia—then known as Fedala—Faras rose from humble beginnings to captain Morocco’s national team through its most iconic moments. Towering not by height (1.72 meters) but by influence, Faras played his entire club career (1965–1982) with local side SC Chabab Mohammedia, where he scored 127 goals and secured the Moroccan League title in 1980.

But it was his leadership on the international stage that etched his name into history. As the first Moroccan ever named African Footballer of the Year in 1975, Faras set a standard of excellence that inspired future generations of Moroccan athletes—including modern stars like Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi.

“He was the beating heart of Moroccan football,” said Noureddine Naybet, former national team captain. “What he gave to this country can’t be counted in goals alone—it was in pride, in unity, in belief.”

Faras earned 94 caps and scored 36 goals for the national team—still Morocco’s all-time leading scorer. He led the squad in its 1970 FIFA World Cup debut in Mexico, and two years later, made headlines with a hat-trick against Malaysia at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

His crowning achievement came in 1976, when he captained Morocco to its first—and so far, only—Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. He was named Player of the Tournament, cementing his role as the face of Moroccan excellence on the continent.

In a heartfelt message, King Mohammed VI paid tribute to Faras, hailing him as “an icon of Moroccan sports and a model of loyalty and dedication who brought honor to our nation through football and humility.”

Tributes poured in across social media and state outlets. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) declared a minute of silence across all national matches this week. Chabab Mohammedia fans gathered outside the club stadium with candles and banners reading “Merci, Capitaine Faras.”

“He never left Mohammedia. He never left Morocco. In an age when players chase foreign glory, Faras chose to build it at home,” said journalist Rachid Bouksim. “That says everything about the man.”

While international fame eluded him in an era before global broadcasting, Faras’ influence across the Arab world and Africa was profound. His approach—calm, technical, and cerebral—offered a counter-narrative to the rugged stereotype often attached to African players.

More than a footballer, Faras embodied Morocco’s aspirations during the early years of independence. His victories were not just athletic—they were political and emotional affirmations of a young nation’s place on the world stage.

In Mohammedia, where he was born, raised, and retired, the local stadium is expected to be renamed in his honor. Plans are underway for a national football academy bearing his name, designed to nurture future generations of homegrown talent.

“He gave us a story to believe in,” said 17-year-old midfielder Oussama El Idrissi from the Royal Football Academy. “We are the children of Faras’s dream.”

Ahmed Faras is survived by his wife, three children, and a nation forever grateful. A state funeral is being arranged by the Ministry of Sports in coordination with the Royal Palace.

As Morocco looks to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the memory of its first champion will loom large. Not in sorrow—but in reverence.