Morocco are in a tough World Cup group and with a new manager in place are something of an unknown quantity, but the Atlas Lions have regularly proven obdurate opponents on the biggest stage.

Walid Regragui took over in August, long after qualification was secured, and he can call on an experienced squad which contains plenty who ply their trade in Europe’s top five leagues. Their primary target will be to make it out of the group stage for the first time since 1986.

Which Chelsea players do Morocco have?

Hakim Ziyech returned to the international fold in September following the departure of manager Vahid Halilhodzic. He and Ziyech had disagreed to the extent the winger announced his retirement from international football in February. He had not played for his country since June 2021, but is back under new boss Regragui, a former Morocco international.

Ziyech started all three games at the last World Cup, and over the course of his 43 caps has most often operated on the right side of a front three. He has 18 goals to his name, four of which have been scored since he arrived at Stamford Bridge, including an incredible one from his own half in a warm-up game this week.

Who else is in Morocco's squad?

Captain Romain Saiss spent six years at Wolves before leaving for Besiktas in the summer, while fellow defenders Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui have elite European pedigree with PSG and Bayern Munich respectively. Other familiar faces to English football fans include Ilias Chair of QPR, West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd and former Southampton winger Sofiane Boufal.

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla), Munir Mohamedi (Al Wehda), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad AC).

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich), Roman Saiss (Besiktas), Nayef Aguerd (West Ham), Jawad El Yamiq (Real Valladolid), Achraf Dari (Brest), Yahia Attiat Allal (Wydad), Badr Benoun (Qatar SC).

Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina), Selim Amallah (Standard Liege), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers), Abdelhamid Sabiri (Sampdoria), Yahya Jabrane(Wydad), Bilel El (Genk).

Forwards: Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla), Abde Ezzalzouli (Osasuna), Walid Cheddira (Bari), Amine Harit (Marseille), Ilaias Chair (QPR), Sofiane Boufal (Angers), Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Ittihad).

What teams are in Morocco's group?

The Atlas Lions have been handed a tough group. Croatia reached the final in 2018, when Belgium were narrowly defeated by eventual winners France in the last four. Both topped their group in qualifying, and Croatia will contest the Nations League finals next June after beating both France and Denmark away from home.

Canada may only be appearing at their second World Cup, after 1986, but shouldn’t be underestimated. They were the strongest team in CONCACAF qualifying, finishing above Mexico and the US having beaten both those sides at home and drawn 1-1 with them away.

When are Morocco's fixtures?

Morocco v Croatia, Al Khor, 23 November, 10am

Morocco v Belgium, Doha, 27 November, 1pm

Morocco v Canada, Doha, 1 December, 3pm

How did Morocco qualify?

Morocco were arguably the most impressive African side in qualifying. They beat Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sudan home and away, scoring 20 goals and conceding just once in the process.

They were drawn to play DR Congo in the two-legged play-off, drawing 1-1 in Kinshasa before returning home to Casablanca to thump the Central African side 4-1 in what was the most one-sided of the final five ties.

What is Morocco's World Cup history?

This is the sixth time Morocco have qualified for the World Cup since first entering the competition in 1962. They have made it out of the group stage once, in 1986, when they were narrowly beaten by West Germany in the round of 16. That was the year the North Africans picked up their first World Cup win, a 3-1 success over Portugal.

They have won just once more, comfortably beating Scotland 3-0 in 1998, although they could count themselves very unfortunate in Russia four years ago. After losing narrowly to Iran and Portugal, Morocco were denied a famous victory over neighbours Spain by a 91st-minute equaliser eventually awarded by VAR.