Morocco’s World Cup Heroes Honored by King Mohammed VI in Royal Ceremony

During this audience, the sovereign decorated the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lakjaâ, the coach of the National Team, Walid Regragui, and the players of the national team, who were accompanied by their mothers. "It is a great honor to be able to meet the King," said Romain Saïss, captain of the Atlas Lions.

This invitation demonstrates, according to him, the importance the king attaches to the development of football. "A page of football history has been written in Morocco and I hope it is only the beginning and that we will continue to write beautiful pages of this history," said the Beşiktaş Istanbul player.

For Sofyan Amrabat, being received by King Mohammed VI is a "dream come true". He then addressed the Moroccan people who remained "supportive" behind the national team. "It’s incredible. I’ve never seen that in my life. As if we had won the World Cup," he said. "We are very proud to have brought joy to our people," added the midfielder.

Same tone from Achraf Hakimi, happy to have met the king, and moved by the popular enthusiasm. "We were among ourselves, locked up, but coming here and seeing the Moroccan people so happy gives us a lot of motivation and strength for the great successes that our national team will achieve."

While expressing his pride and joy at the honor that has been done to them, Jawad El Yamiq promises that the Atlas Lions "will continue to work to take Moroccan football very far".