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The Moroccan soccer team made history in Qatar on Saturday defeating Portugal and advancing to the World Cup semifinals, becoming the first Arab and African country to do so in the history of the championship.
Portugal was favored to defeat Morocco in the quarterfinal match with a FIFA ranking 9 vs. 22, but the Moroccan squad known as "Atlas Lions" delivered a historic victory of 1-0. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal.
Portugal's superstar Cristiano Ronaldo missed the first half, but couldn't deliver a win for his national team in the second. This is believed to be Ronaldo's last World Cup. The 37-year-old may soon sign with the Saudi club Al-Nassr, which reportedly made him over $200 million offer.
What a moment 👏
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 10, 2022
Morocco scores its first ever men's FIFA World Cup goal in the knockout stage 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/hGS7QoE3vV
Why it matters: Morocco is the first Arab and African country ever to advance to a World Cup semifinal and the first to make it to the quarterfinals having defeated Spain on Tuesday. Many fans from North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East have been rooting for the Moroccan team as a result.
Morocco’s population is a mix of Arabs and Berbers, aka Amazigh people, who are indigenous to North Africa.
The Moroccan team has also been praised for waving Palestinian flags after the matches in solidarity. However, many refugees from Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara are notably not supporting Morocco at the World Cup.
Moroccan coach Walid Regragui took the helm only in August. Regragui selected many European-born players of Moroccan heritage for the team, saying “every Moroccan is Moroccan.” Regragui himself was born in France to Moroccan parents.
Know more: Many social media users have been joking about the Muslim conquest of the Iberian peninsula in light of Morocco’s World Cup matches against Spain and Portugal. Muslim armies from North Africa occupied modern-day Spain and Portugal for hundreds of years until the Spanish reconquista ended in the 15th century, upon which Spain expelled Muslims and Jews from the peninsula. People on Twitter joked that Spain must rename itself al-Andalus — the Arabic name for Iberia — due to the loss to Morocco.
