Morocco’s nationwide soccer staff is ready to return residence on Tuesday after reaching the inconceivable feat of ending fourth on the World Cup in Qatar. Tens of hundreds of Moroccans had been anticipated to end up to greet the gamers.
As the primary African or Arab staff to succeed in the semi-finals of the World Cup, the Moroccan staff, often known as the Atlas Lions, made historical past and was one of many large success tales of this yr’s match, probably the most profitable by an Arab staff. It was organized for the primary time by the nation.
Large crowds lined the streets of the Moroccan capital Rabat and the remainder of the North African kingdom to return residence. After the staff defeated former European colonial powers Belgium, Spain and Portugal, it misplaced to France within the semi-finals. Its record-setting efficiency means gamers are more likely to get a hero’s welcome.
“Morocco’s run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be remembered in the history books as one of the most exciting campaigns since the tournament’s inception,” 27-year-old Reda Ghazi, the cafe’s proprietor, instructed The Associated Press. “Winning something was every Moroccan’s dream, especially because Morocco is a country where the passion for football is tremendous.”
After their aircraft lands, gamers are able to take an open-top bus experience by the most important routes of the capital. The royal courtroom mentioned on Monday that King Mohammed VI would obtain the staff on the palace in Rabat “to celebrate their great and historic achievement.”
Morocco completed fourth within the competitors after dropping 1-2 to Croatia within the third-place play-off on Saturday, exceeding most Moroccans’ expectations.
“I still can’t wrap my head around what happened in this World Cup,” mentioned 23-year-old scholar Anour Al Barkoui. African Cup of Nations.
The Moroccan staff charmed many Arab soccer followers, who noticed a mirrored image of themselves within the staff. The gamers waved the Palestinian flag after their victory and celebrated on the sector with their moms and youngsters.
The staff additionally lent help throughout Africa.
Rabat resident Omar Zorgane mentioned, “As an African team, we broke a lot of records and made the whole continent proud.”
“Morocco will gain a lot from this year’s World Cup, from tourism to attracting the attention of other countries and hosting one of the world’s biggest tournaments in the future,” he added.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
