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Rabat – Karima El Khannous, mother of Moroccan footballer Bilal El Khannous, said that Morocco’s King Mohammed VI insisted that players’ mothers should be present for the reception planned for them on Tuesday.
“Normally we would be home by now, but the King insisted that the players’ mothers should also be present at the ceremony,” she told Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg. “A very nice gesture from him. Who knows, we might even be able to take a selfie together,” she added laughing.
El Khannous, who was born in Belgium but chose to represent Morocco in his international career, made his senior international debut on Saturday, in Morocco’s third-place playoff game against Croatia.
At only 18 years of age, the midfielder made his senior debut for Belgian club KRC Genk this year.
“We will fly back to Belgium on Tuesday,” the footballer’s mother said. “It is about time, because we have been away from home for a month now.”
“Bilal is supposed to fly with us, so that he can join KRC Genk again on Tuesday,” she added. “Who knows, maybe he will even play against Anderlecht on Wednesday.”
Genk and RSC Anderlecht are meeting in the Belgian Cup’s round of 16 on Wednesday.
Throughout Morocco’s historic World Cup run in which the country reached the semi-finals, pictures of Moroccan players celebrating with their mothers made global headlines.
Images of Achraf Hakimi hugging his mother and giving her his jersey, and Soufiane Boufal dancing with his mother after winning against Portugal went viral online.
Morocco’s team came in fourth place at the World Cup in Qatar, achieving the best finish by an African or Arab team in the tournament’s history.
Moroccan players are set to return to their country on Tuesday, with a big reception awaiting them at the Rabat-Sale Airport. The team will make a tour across the city of Rabat.
