At just 16, Romaissa Ihssan epitomises the new generation of Moroccan female footballers: ambitious, true to her roots and focused on excellence. Despite being born in Lyon’s Villeurbanne district and coming through the ranks at Montpellier Herault SC, the young attacking midfielder nonetheless chose to represent Morocco at international level.
Her country is now set to host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ between 17 October and 8 November 2025. This will be the first time the tournament has been hosted in Africa and Romaissa will be hoping to experience it first-hand. Playing in a World Cup on home turf would be the realisation of a dream, and could also be the start of a magical adventure.
Inspired by compatriot Achraf Hakimi for his consistency and big-game performances, and by global icon Alexia Putellas, the young Moroccan is determined to write her own story, and will be counting on her tight-knit family for support.
Speaking with FIFA, she discusses her decision to represent the Atlas Lionesses, what it means to her country to host a tournament like this, and the objectives set by team coach Anwar Mghinia.
FIFA: Romaissa, you were born in France and play for Montpellier Herault SC but you chose to represent Morocco. Did you always know this was the right path for you?
My roots are very important to me. Wearing the national shirt is a way of honouring my family and my heritage. I’m so proud to represent a country with so much potential in women’s football. I’m also aware that it’s a huge responsibility. I didn’t have to think twice. The first time I ever set foot in Morocco was when I was selected for the national side for the first time. I felt at home right away.
The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup kicks off in Morocco in October. What does it mean for a girl of your age to have the opportunity to play in a home World Cup?
It’s everyone’s dream to play in a World Cup. But to be able to do that on home turf is something really exceptional. To represent our country in this amazing competition in front of our fans and our families will be a magical experience. There’s a real buzz around us and the whole country is behind us, so that should help drive us on.
Do you think that hosting the World Cup will allow Morocco to make further progress in women’s football?
I think it will change a lot of things. Hopefully, it will show little girls in Morocco that it is possible to dream big and play at the highest level. I’m sure the stadiums will be packed to the rafters. We have the full backing of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. We are treated the same as the boys. And Moroccans are very passionate people. If our performances can encourage even more people to invest in the infrastructure and training for young girls, then it’s mission accomplished.
How are your preparations going in terms of football?
We have been working very hard on and off the pitch all year. We have a full training team, including several physios, fitness and football coaches, and a video analyst. We also have fantastic training facilities. We’ve played several friendlies and those will continue until the competition starts. We have great team spirit and we push each other to do our best. This aligns with our country’s values.
What are your personal goals in the short to medium term?
First, I’m focussing on my immediate goal, which is to play in the U-17 World Cup. The first step is to make the 21-player squad. If I get the chance to play, I want to help the team, perform well and give the best possible account of myself. I really need to be at 100% if I get called up.
Later, I hope to make my mark in Europe, and play for one of the top European teams. But I’m just taking one step at a time.
Morocco have been drawn in a tough group, including Brazil, Italy and Costa Rica. What do you think of the draw?
We’ve discussed this as a team, and we were hoping to come up against countries like France, Italy, Spain etc. These are all teams with a lot of quality. At the World Cup, all the teams have quality so we will give everything to make Morocco proud, while respecting every opponent.
Photo : Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football
