Wednesday, 28 January 2026. The semi-final of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup 2026™ between Arsenal Women FC and ASFAR has just ended. The European champions trounced their African counterparts 6-0 and will face SC Corinthians, who beat Gotham FC 1-0 in the other semi-final, in the decider. On the sidelines, one scene in particular caught the eye: Fatima Tagnaout and Alessia Russo, who came on as a substitute and scored twice, exchanged shirts.
“Alessia Russo is a top-level player and it was a pleasure to talk to her after the match”, the ASFAR left winger told FIFA exclusively. “Meeting some of the best players in the world in a competition like this is very rewarding. It wasn’t arranged in advance, it was a spontaneous gesture, made with respect and in the spirit of football.”
Respect, beyond victory or defeat, seems to be what ASFAR came to London for during this tournament. And despite this initial setback, the Moroccan women have already seen their opponents show them respect, whether it be Arsenal or Gotham, the team they will face in the third-place play-off on Sunday 1 February.
“What I learned most is that Arsenal respected us a lot”, agreed ASFAR coach Mohamed Amine Alioua. “Through their tempo of play, their willingness to play, their desire to score more goals.”
Arsenal coach Renee Slegers echoed her Moroccan counterpart’s comments. “The way they presented themselves in the semi-final, with courage, fearlessness, showing themselves, playing some really good football was so inspiring.”
“ASFAR is a strong team”, added Gotham boss Juan Carlos Amoros. “Moroccan football is developing in all areas, both for men and women. This ASFAR team has a very solid structure and impressive young talent.”
However, despite the respect shown by his peers, Alioua remains somewhat dissatisfied. “My players said to me, ‘But it was Arsenal’. Yes, we know we were up against a titan. But the question was: could we have done better? And we all agreed that yes, we could have done better. The Arsenal coach says we did some good things, but I think we could have done even better.”
And if the 39-year-old coach is so demanding, it’s also because he’s in charge of a squad that matches his ambitions. After all, Tagnaout was voted African Interclub Player of the Year in 2023, Sanaa Mssoudy in 2024 and 2025, and 20-year-old Doha El Madani was crowned Young Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons.
“These individual titles reflect the progress of African women’s football and reinforce ASFAR’s credibility on the international stage”, said Tagnaout.
“Having several players receive individual awards is important, but what matters most is that it serves the collective project”, adds El Madani. She took part in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022™ and also plays futsal – she was the top scorer at the African Futsal Cup of Nations, which enabled Morocco to qualify for the first edition of the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™ in 2025. “These are experiences that help you mature quickly and cope better with pressure today.”
ASFAR will need all these qualities in London, because there is no time to waste: the third-place play-off takes place on Sunday and the pressure will inevitably be at its peak.
“This type of competition leaves no room for rumination; you have to look ahead quickly”, concludes Tagnaout. “We are preparing calmly and with focus: tailored training sessions, recovery, analysis with the staff and lots of discussion among ourselves. We are highly motivated to end this tournament on a positive note against Gotham.”
Having earned the medal of respect, the Moroccan women now intend to win the bronze one before returning home.
