Morocco changing face of football, says former 'golden generation' hero

Morocco midfielder Abderrazak Khairi wrote his name in the country's football history books by scoring twice against Portugal to lead the first 'golden generation' of the Atlas Lions to the last 16 at the 1986 World Cup.

That was the first time a team from Africa - or the Arab world - reached the knockouts, and on Saturday the current crop meet the former European champions again after Walid Regragui's team took a step further by reaching the quarter-finals.

Last week Morocco stunned the world in Qatar when they won a group that included Croatia, runners-up in Russia four years ago, and Belgium, the second ranked team in the world.

Then continued their progress by knocking out Spain, the 2010 world champions, in a penalty shootout in the last 16 to achieve the best Arab achievement in the finals.

Khairi says the current generation's ambition has no limits.

"I think that the Moroccan national team is trying to change the map of world football now. They are playing at the highest possible level and proving to the world that impossible in nothing. The more we dream of something, the more ambitious (we are)," Khairi told Reuters.

Morocco showed a winning mentality and both Regragui and defender Ashraf Hakimi spoke boldly about the dream of winning the title, saying, "Why don't Africa dream of winning the cup?".

The dream seemed impossible a few weeks ago but now they have a chance to be the first African team ever to reach the semi-finals.

"It will be a historic moment for all of us, Arabs and Africans. Let us live the dream and, whatever happens, we have already achieved some of our dreams in this version," Khairi said.

TOUGH GROUP

Since the achievement of the 1986 generation, Morocco have exited the group stage three times and