Morocco, the most popular team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, failed to reach the final. Morocco lost to France 0-2 in the semi-final on the 15th. Morocco, the first team in Africa to reach the semifinals of the World Cup, gave up its dream of advancing to the finals for the first time in a country other than Europe and South America. “Even so, our achievements will not be erased,” said Morocco coach Walid Legragui.
Morocco beat the countries that dominated it in the past one after another to advance to the semifinals. Spain occupied Moroccan ports from the 15th century and ruled northern Morocco from 1912 to 1956. The Washington Post said, “Even now, Spain is obsessed with Ceuta and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco.” The Portuguese occupied the coastal cities of Morocco from 1415 to 1769. France ruled Morocco from 1912 to 1956.
Morocco is living and exchanging influences with these three countries. Spanish football has dominated the Moroccan market for the past 20 years. When two Moroccan children meet, the first question they ask each other is “Barça? Real?” The Washington Post reported that “Moroccan cafes are sometimes divided into Barcelona and Real Madrid.” Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Real Madrid, is a superstar loved by half of Morocco’s population. 메이저사이트
France ruled Morocco for a relatively short period of time. However, the influence was great. Moroccans went to Europe to fight in World War II and worked in factories and farms after the war. The Washington Post said, “They brought their own culture and intertwined it with French culture.” The newspaper added, “For 40 years, Morocco has developed cultural, political and economic links with France,” adding, “There are baguettes and croissants everywhere in Morocco, and French is an elite language.
The French national team is also deeply connected to Africa. Just Fontaine, who scored for France at the 1958 World Cup, was born in Marrakesh, which was colonized by France. Kylian Mbappe, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema are also from North Africa.
Currently, Morocco national team midfielder Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) plays for the Dutch youth team. Striker Youssef en Nesiri (Sebia) has been living in Spain ever since. Moroccan players speak several languages, including English, Spanish, French and Italian. The Washington Post interpreted, “This fluid identity symbolizes that Morocco is part of the Middle East, Africa, the Arabs, the Atlantic, the Sahara, and the Mediterranean.” During the World Cup, Morocco received support not only from Qatar, but also from all over the world, including Africa, the Middle East and even the United States. There are not a few Moroccans who live scattered around the world. The Washington Post interpreted, “The passion for Morocco grew as I embraced it despite the contradictions of colonial rule.
Morocco will play Croatia for third and fourth place on the 18th. “There are a lot of injured players, but I will arm myself mentally and aim for third place,” said coach Legragui. “I am proud to have learned a lot from being born in France,” Legragui said, wishing France to win the championship, saying, “It would be better to say that we lost to the world champion.”