The phone was ringing on the turf of the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca on Tuesday night amid the euphoria as Vaha picked up, trying to hear the caller.”Hello! Yes, how are you, Your Highness? Thank you! World Cup qualifiers and victory are for you and your people! I hope you are happy. It is my pleasure. This is the merit of the players and the whole nation.”Terrific scene in Tunis.Morocco manager Vahid Halilhodzic and his captain, Wolves center back Romain Saiss, had an intimate moment captured on local & global cameras when speaking on the phone to the King Mohammed VI, after the 4-1 World Cup bound win over DR Congo. #CAF #WCQ pic.twitter.com/lxfwbTpDTM— Andrew Jones (@TWDTV1) March 29, 2022 That caller was none other than Moroccan king Mohammed VI, the grandson of Mohammed V, congratulating the Atlas Lions’ coach Vahid Halilhodzic for trashing DR Congo 4-1. Morocco won 5-1 on aggregate to advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is the fourth time Vaha has managed to get his team to the world ‘exhibition’. That makes him a unique figure globally since no one has else has done the same. Vahid Halilhodžić becomes the first manager in history to take four different national teams to the World Cup.Ivory Coast, 2010.Algeria, 2014.Japan, 2018.Morocco, 2022.Bravo majstore 🇧🇦 pic.twitter.com/5FkEMRlI2A— Payetista 🇧🇦⚜️ (@CalcioPolymath) March 29, 2022 Previously, the Bosnian tactician qualified for World Cups with Ivory Coast (2010), Algeria (2014), and Japan (2018). However, due to his character and impulsiveness, which resulted in some issues with players, football authorities and the press, he made a sole WC appearance – with the Fennec Foxes.Vaha with Kalou and Drogba back in 2010 (©AFP)He was sacked from the Elephants dugout after an AFCON 2010 crush in the 1/4 finals, which was awful for the squad packed with the likes of Drogba, Kalou, Gervinho, Eboue, Yaya and Kolo Toure. His luck has changed with Algeria, whom he took straight to the 2014 WC Round of 16, where they were halted by the later champions Germany after overtime. Halilhodzic at the 2014 WC (©AFP)However, his next stop was Japan, and it was a highly tumultuous episode that ended in arguments with players, JFA and journalists. He would have maybe survived all that if it wasn’t for a terrible 4-1 loss to their archrivals, South Korea, months before the 2018 WC.CAPITAL – GAMAVaha wasn’t jobless for too long as the Moroccan federation approached him, bearing in mind the successful qualifying campaigns with Ivory Coast and Algeria. AFCON 2021: Halilhodzic on Ziyech – ‘I’m not going to beg him to come back’But, once again, things went wrong for the capricious gaffer, with the Atlas Lions getting out of the AFCON 2021 in the 1/4 finals. Such an outcome backfired on him, especially for his decision to scratch off Morocco’s probably best player Hakim Ziyech after a bitter dispute with the Chelsea playmaker.Ziyech announces retirement from Morocco national team after AFCON snubEven in the prelude of this decisive, make-or-break two-leg tie against DR Congo, there were voices and concerns Vaha would ruin the whole thing for the Atlas Lions. Alas, it went a totally different way for both the Bosnian coach and Morocco, and he’s a national hero now. Still, there are eight months left until their maiden game at the 2022 WC. Will Halilhodzic make his second appearance in his fourth attempt? The odds are on his side this time.
