Morocco Rallies Behind Historic World Cup Run as Semi-Final Clash with France Looms

"Now that they have held their own against Croatia and eliminated Belgium, Spain and Portugal, these children (the Atlas Lions, editor’s note) can very well beat the reigning world champions and allow us to play a final," is convinced Jamal, a parking attendant in the Maarif district in the center of Casablanca, met by the newspaper Le Soir. After achieving these feats, Morocco has become the first country in Africa and the Arab world to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.

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Moroccan supporters are happy to live these unforgettable historic moments. "Since I was little, I’ve often heard about 1986 (when Morocco became the first Arab and African team to reach the round of 16, editor’s note), but I’ve never known a team that has represented me as much as this one," smiles Kenza, 24, an intern in an association. "I feel involved, with the impression of being part of something bigger than myself," she adds.

This representation "is distilled in world television," the same source informs. "It’s a breath of fresh air for a country like ours, where the world can see us as Arabs, Africans, Amazighs, Muslims," adds columnist Reda Allali. And to continue: "The fact that the players go to kiss their mothers, the fervor of the public, it’s a surge of pride that breaks the repeated image that we can have of the Maghrebi in other regions of the world."