Host nation Morocco are one of the hot favourites to win the Africa Cup of Nations in their own backyard.

However, the country’s head coach Walid Regragui is treading carefully ahead of Sunday’s Last 16 clash against Tanzania.

On paper, Africa’s number one ranked team Morocco are expected to walk over the East Africans, who are placed 27th on the continent.

“We will respect Tanzania, who have qualified and are developing in football. Our players will remain humble,” insisted Regragui.

“Everyone says we are the favourites, but the reason we haven’t won the AFCON in over 50 years is overconfidence.”

Indeed, Morocco have only once won the AFCON and that was in 1976 in a tournament played in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Five decades later, all eyes are on Morocco to see if they can end the long wait.

Morocco have failed to make it past the Quarter-finals in the last ten editions of the AFCON.

They were in the last eight in 2017 and 2021.