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Rabat – At the end of their World Cup journey, Morocco’s national football team and fans are filled with hope that this year’s outstanding performance is but a start for many successes to follow.
After reaching the semi-final phase of the FIFA World Cup against all odds, the Moroccan national team’s coach said: “Why shouldn’t we dream of winning the World Cup? Let’s pass that idea on to future generations, and let’s believe in it.”
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Regragui said that in the match against France, his team had been fighting through a number of injuries and exhaustion, leading to a performance that was ultimately not enough to win.
“We don’t win competitions like the World Cup with miracles, we need to work harder to come back stronger,” Regragui said.
Morocco’s stellar performance in this year’s tournament dazzled audiences around the world and raised hopes that this will not be the last time they reach an advanced stage of the World Cup.
“This World Cup, Morocco’s World Cup, will be remembered, instead, as a beginning.” wrote the New York Times
Morocco is the first Arab or African country to ever reach the semi-finals.
Smith also highlighted the sense of unity that Arab and African fans got from following the Moroccan team.
Morocco’s historic World Cup track this year has made headlines worldwide, with the Moroccan team becoming the “darling” of football fans who were rooting for an underdog to win the tournament.
Morocco scored a number of unexpected wins throughout the tournament. The team qualified for the round of 16 on top of Group F and then defeated Spain and Portugal to qualify for the semi-finals.
Morocco’s magical run was ended by defending champions France, who beat the Atlas Lions 2-0 in the semi-finals. The team sustained another 2-1 loss against Croatia in the third-place match, and ultimately placed fourth in the tournament.
The fourth-place finish is still the best result obtained by any African or Arab country in the history of the World Cup.
Read Also: Morocco Finishes Fourth in World Cup After Loss to Croatia
