Moroccans World Cup Dream Is Over However They Hail Heroes

Even though their squad narrowly missed making it to the World Cup final, Moroccans celebrated their team's historic journey on Wednesday even though it came to an end with a 2-0 loss to the reigning champions France. The luck wasn't on our side, but they played a terrific game, remarked fan Oussama Abdouh in Casablanca. Still, it was excellent that we challenged the title-holders. Beyond the World Cup, this team kept us dreaming right up until the bitter end, and for that alone, I salute them. But the 2-0 loss against France was too much for Hakim Salama.

He replied, "We passed up the chance of a century. The Lions of the Atlas, the first Arab or African team to ever reach the World Cup final, were in danger of losing on Wednesday night as rain battered the Moroccan capital Rabat and the excitement of their historic triumphs was far from the air. The drummers and automobile horns were muffled this time. The national team has been working miracles ever since the World Cup began, said Rachid Sabbiq, a street vendor in Casablanca's lower-class Derb Sultan neighborhood, prior to the game.

No matter the outcome, he continued, "they have earned the respect and affection of all Moroccans, and that is precious." Sabbiq had switched from selling Moroccan flags to his customary menu of sweets. Despite the defeat, the team's leader King Mohammed VI extended "warm congratulations" for "honoring the Moroccan people," according to the national news agency of the nation, MAP. Following the game, the king called French President Emmanuel Macron to congratulate him, according to the news agency. They inspire us to dream.

Derb Sultan, one of Casablanca's oldest neighborhoods, served as a stronghold of defiance against colonial authority while the North African monarchy was a French protectorate from 1912 until 1956. It also gave origin to Raja de Casablanca, one of Morocco's best clubs, and is the hometown of renowned striker Mohamed Jarir (commonly known as "Houmane"), who became the first Moroccan to ever score in a World Cup in 1970. Teenager Mohamed Nadifi, whose favorite player is winger Sofiane Boufal, said: "In our neighborhood, we adore football, so of course the national team's triumphs make us dream."

Shops have started selling team jerseys and flags all around Morocco. Despite difficult economic circumstances for many Moroccans, trader Khalid Alaoui remarked, "Not only have the Lions made us happy, but they also allowed us to get commerce going again." To buy jerseys for her four nephews, Touria Matrougui braved the bitter cold and pouring rain. We can never express our gratitude to them sufficiently for the way they carried the Moroccan flag high.

Due to its success, the group has gained support from all around the continent. Sidibey Zoumana, an Ivory Coast native who has resided in Morocco since 2018, said, "Morocco has made an entire continent proud." "I've been following their development as if it were my own nation." Because of the team's performance, Morocco's reputation has changed in places like Gaza and Senegal. After the game, Stated Mouhssine, 48, said, "They proved that an African team can go anywhere, and genuinely compete." Others felt that the game had a political undertone because it took place in the midst of a diplomatic dispute between Paris and Rabat about the sensitive Western Sahara issue.

Some fans had double disappointment when the nation's airline, Royal Air Maroc, was forced to revoke additional flights for supporters to Qatar just hours after they were announced. The promised tickets for other supporters who had already arrived in the Gulf state were not available. Some claim that employees of the Moroccan Football Federation distributed the sought-after passes to friends and family.