The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has divided Africans, with some cheering on Morocco’s success in reaching the semifinals and others saying Morocco is an Arab country and has always distanced itself from the African continent’s affairs.
Morocco’s success in the tournament has been a source of pride for many Africans, who see the team as a representation of the continent as a whole. However, not everyone is happy with Morocco’s success. Some people believe that Morocco is an Arab country and should not be considered part of the African continent.
The divide among Africans highlights the complex relationships between countries on the continent. Although many Africans see Morocco as a representation of the continent, the country has always been quick to distance itself from its African neighbours. This is largely due to Morocco’s unique history and geographic location.
Morocco has always been a crossroads between Africa and the Arab world, and its people have always been a mix of both cultures. This has led to a strong sense of national identity that is different from other African countries. For example, while most African countries use the African Union flag, Morocco uses its own flag that includes the green of the Arab world.
How Morocco made it to 2022 World Cup semifinals
On Saturday, Morocco pulled off a major upset by defeating Portugal 1-0. With this victory, Morocco became the first African country to ever reach the semifinals of a major international tournament. This is a significant achievement for the Moroccan national team, and it is sure to give them a boost of confidence heading into the rest of the tournament. Portugal, on the other hand, was disappointed with this result, as they were one of the favourites to win the entire competition.
Morocco’s win came in the 43rd minute through a well-calculated header from Youssef En-Nesyri, who took advantage of that hopeful cross from Yahia Attiyat Allah. The ball hung in the air for quite a while before the tall striker headed it in, leaving goalkeeper Diogo Costa in shock.
In a matchup that looked like it would be an easy win for the favourites, Cristiano Ronaldo and his team surprisingly had a lot of difficulty scoring even a single goal. It was a hard-fought match by both sides, but in the end, the underdogs were victorious. This just goes to show that anything can happen in football, and that any team can come out on top if they try hard enough.
Ronaldo holds a special place in history as a world-class player and his position in Portugal’s starting lineup. However, Morocco’s iron-wilted defence proved something else against the Portuguese. He leaped to get his head on balls, chased the balls in behind, and tried to find shooting angles, but all was in vain.
Morocco down its guard for the first time in the game as it almost tied with Portugal when Bruno Fernandes’ strike that came close to the goal crashed off the bar. This is the first time that Morocco looked vulnerable in the game, and it will be interesting to see how they respond in the second half. Portugal will surely be looking to capitalise on this opportunity and take the lead in the game.
The final moments of this tournament saw Morocco reduced to 10 players, with the substitute Walid Cheddira receiving two yellow cards in close succession. But Walid Regragui’s men refused to be distracted. That final whistle must have caused ears to bleed as Morocco fans went wild inside the Al Thumama Stadium.
Morocco’s magical journey to the semifinals is one of its kind, having already knocked out heroes from the World Cup – Belgium, Spain, and now Portugal. The Renault Moroccan national team will face the defending champions France in their first match in the semifinals.
This is an opportunity for Morocco to show the world that they are a force to be reckoned with. They have already made history by being the first African team to make it to the semifinals, and they will be looking to make even more history by defeating Argentina.
The task will be difficult, but it is not impossible. If Morocco can continue to play with the same passion and determination that they have shown so far, then they have a chance to make even more history.
Back home, fans continued to celebrate their team. Loubna Taleb, a political advisor at an embassy in Morocco, acknowledged that what the players did exceeded their expectations as they made them believe in more than football.
“Every Moroccan feels invincible and capable of doing and succeeding in anything even against the odds. And for that I am eternally grateful to them for healing a nation from colonial scars,” she said.
There is no doubt that the semifinal game between Morocco and France on Wednesday will be an exciting one. Morocco has been impressive in the tournament so far, and they will be looking to pull off another upset against a strong French side. France will be favourites to win the game, but Morocco will be hoping to cause another upset and reach the final of the tournament.
This article was written by Ann Sitati and edited by Ericson Mangoli