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London – The Atlas Lions are the first African team and the first Arab nation to advance to the semi-finals in World Cup history. This progression of the underdog in the most prestigious football tournament has been a monumental success not only for the entire African continent and the Arab world but for anyone, anywhere, who has ever felt like the underdog.
Despite their five unsuccessful bids to host the World Cup, Morocco has made their mark on this one with their remarkable performance in Qatar, the first-ever Arab and Muslim country host.
By securing their spot in the semi-finals, they have thwarted the projected advancements and anticipated lineup made by specialists of only European and South American teams. This achievement has brought unprecedented joy and evoked intrigue and excitement in football fans across the world.
Popularised as “the beautiful game” by Brazilian football legend Pele, football remains true to its global unifying prominence, and Morocco’s epic defeat of Spain in the round of 16, followed by their triumphant win over Portugal in the quarter-finals, has been the epitome of bringing people together, whilst also representing the underdog, far and wide.
‘’An African nation will win the World Cup before the year 2000,’’ this was Pele’s infamous prediction declared in 1977, when only three African teams were permitted to qualify for the World Cup.
By the end of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, only three African teams had made it to the quarter finals: Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010. In the 2014 World Cup that followed in Brazil, Algeria was the only African team to make it out of the group stages, their journey was sadly cut short in the round of 16 by Germany, who went on to win the tournament. Meanwhile, no African team reached the knockout stages in Russia in 2018.
Africa’s limiting performance in preceding World Cups has therefore formed the basis of the predictions made by analysts that no African team would progress to the group stages in this year’s tournament. However, Morocco’s advancement to the semi-finals has taken the world by surprise and taken them one step closer to making Pele’s prediction, albeit years later, a reality.
To put Morocco’s World Cup heroics into a broader context, it is worth noting that Spain is one of only eight countries to have ever won the World Cup, and Portugal is ninth in FIFA’s rankings of the best national teams.
The 2022 World Cup has also been a tournament that has witnessed perhaps the most iconic upsets in World Cup history with football giants Argentina, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, and Spain all tasting defeat at the hands of African and Asian Teams. Morocco is therefore in with a probable chance of taking this trophy home, but regardless of where the team goes from here, they have made history.
Millions continue to gather in all corners of the world in celebration of Morocco’s historic feat, but this victory has been particularly apparent in the Arab world. Qatar’s geographical location coupled with the country’s cultural influences has given nations in this region the opportunity to gather in considerable numbers, to not only rejoice but to show solidarity. It, therefore, comes as no surprise to see Palestine – the ultimate underdog – take centre stage.
From Palestinian armbands to chants, the number of fans and teams displaying their solidarity with the Palestinian cause has been overwhelming, and the Atlas Lions have also been instrumental in their support. The Moroccan players raised the Palestinian flag on the pitch following their win against Canada, their victory over Spain, and again after their triumph over Portugal.
The world is being reminded of the Palestinian plight, and the Arab nation is standing firm, strong and united in solidarity with the people of Palestine, irrespective of what the thoughts and actions of their governments are.
Unlike the wins we have seen throughout previous World Cup events, Morocco’s success in this tournament has touched nations in a way that has never been witnessed before – they are honoring the underdog.
The Atlas Lions will forever be remembered for the relentless fight, passion, skill, and team effort displayed in the 2022 World Cup. But there is no denying that a special appreciation is due to team members, Achraf Hakimi, who scored the decisive penalty against Spain with a sensational “Panenka,” Yassine Bounou, who saved two of Spain’s three squandered penalty attempts and ultimately fast-tracked Morocco to the quarter-finals, Youssef En-Nesyri, whose fine header against Portugal secured Morocco a spot in the semi-finals and made him the first Moroccan player to ever score at two consecutive World Cup tournaments, Manager Walid Regragui, without whom none of this would have been possible, and last but by no means least, the magnificent Moroccan fans, whose roars, cheers, chants, and uncompromising support earnt them their 12th man status.
So, as everyone gears with up to witness Morocco take on France for a spot in the final – one of the most anticipated games in the history of the World Cup – it is safe to say the result will not even for a minute take away the impact Morocco’s victory thus far has had on its country, its people, and anyone, anywhere who has ever felt like the underdog. Victory is open to all.
Dima Maghreb.
