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Join on Telegram Rabat – It is Thursday, December 1. Today is not a typical day, nor should’ve been. The streets of Tangier city are full of cheerful people carrying Moroccan flags and wearing red and green shirts. No, it is not another Green March. It is match day: Morocco is playing against Canada.
People are rushing to the cafes to find vacant chairs, which in itself is a challenge. You better come at least two hours before the match if you want to find a place.
The match starts at 4:00 PM, but some people were there from 11:00 this morning. Timing is pivotal, and no one wants to risk it when the Atlas Lions are playing.
It is now 3:00 PM, and the match is about to start. Cafes begin to close their doors, but some are still open. You better hurry up.
A mother couldn’t go out today nor find a TV channel where she could watch the match; she is hoping for her daughter to install the Arryadia app on her phone. A small business owner closed his shop and went to the cafe. A team of workers asked their manager to let them leave work earlier so they could watch the match. A … A … A … The list goes on and on.
In the cafe, there is a range of people from different generations, but one supporter is very interesting: He is the youngest.
A four-month-old baby, holding a small Moroccan flag with his little hands, smiling from time to time.
It is 4:00 PM now, and the match starts. Everyone is in. Everyone is quiet — except the four-month-old baby. He shouts occasionally; maybe he is saying, in his own way: Vive le Maroc.
With joy and caution, fear sometimes, we are all watching. Already 96 minutes have passed like a second, yet there was a time when a minute passed and it felt like an eternity. Here is where you test Einstein’s theory of relativity.
The match is over now, and Morocco has won. Everybody is out now. Again, this is not a second Green March, though it seems similar Thousands of Moroccans take out to the street with flags, drums, and fireworks. They all know where they will be heading: Mohammed V street.
Happy pandemonium
Astonishingly, you witness how Moroccans of different ages and towns come together to celebrate. You don’t have to know them, but they will smile at you, and you will be singing together the same thing: CONGRATULATIONS TO US, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, AND THERE WILL BE MORE.
What a great moment. Right? You might have longed for such a moment — or if you are like me, you might have never seen the likes of one before.
Of course, we, as Moroccans, have our concerns. The high inflation rate is making our daily life harder. The full extent of the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to be felt.
Yes, we have a lot to worry about.
Yet, Moroccans stood together in this incredible moment. From Tangier to Lagouira and Rabat to Oujda: illuminated in green and red. Moroccans made it clear: The time for celebration is now on such a significant occasion.
But again, this isn’t just a celebration of football, it is greater than that. The win wonderfully illustrates the real patriotism of Moroccans and their love for their country. It demonstrated that this love is not something only of our grandparent’s generation — the old generation that no longer exists.
No. The Atlas Lions have proven that real patriotism exists in our generation as well. Something not only relevant to 1975 but in 2022, too.
Moroccans now will fight as much and as hard as their grandfathers did decades ago should time call upon them — just as their Lions did on the football pitch.
All Moroccans, not only in Morocco but across the world, are united behind their flag. What a great moment. But again, the moment is even greater than that. The victory was not only for Moroccans but for the whole Arab world. From
Algeria’s capital to Doha and Riyadh, Gaza to Cairo, green and red was symbolic there, too.
Read Also: France Coach: Morocco Has the Best Defense at The 2022 World Cup
Unfortunately, Morocco was the only Arab team that reached the second round of the World Cup. Yet, fortunately, the Lions fight not only for their country but for the whole Arab world.
What a unique occasion for all Arabs to be united in the era of political divisions. This World Cup brought the Arab people together with one hope: Lions with the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
A great moment. An Unforgettable day. A day that will surely live in our memories for years to come.
The next challenge
Six days later, another day. Today is Tuesday. History seems to repeat itself. Morocco is playing against Spain. Now, once again, hundreds of Moroccans are heading to the cafes, the lucky ones are already in Qatar. Millions of Arabs are watching worldwide.
The old mother managed to find a way to watch the match on her phone. The business owner closed his shop again. The team once again asked their manager to let them leave work earlier. “I won’t let you leave until 6:00 PM.” But of course, he is just kidding.
I don’t know about the baby, but I can only imagine he is screaming, supporting the team in his own unique way.
As for me, I am in luck, I found a good place in the cafe. It is 4:00 PM now, and the match is starting.
The Atlas Lions are ready to fight for those who have pinned their hopes on them. Challenging the prejudiced assumptions and history itself, they will have no choice but to keep fighting.
With caution, screams, and tears sometimes, we are all watching. More than two hours have passed, and sometimes a second passed as a long Monday does.
The normal time is now over: No one is winning, yet. As the match goes to extra time, supporters start to become quiet and tired. Some even began to lose hope — preparing themselves for the worst. But others never lost hope.
“May God help us win the World Cup,” I heard a supporter praying. “Let us pray for this match first and then for the finals,” I respond. “If I pray, I should pray big. We deserve the World Cup,” she added. “Why not Morocco? We have all it takes.” I couldn’t agree more.
The extra time is over and the match goes to penalties. The chances now are fifty-fifty, and our stress level is even higher.
Abdelhamid Sabiri scores Morocco’s first penalty. He shoots. Yes: GOALLLL. But, no win yet, so I better keep silent.
Spain’s turn now. Pablo Sarabia’s ball hit the post. YESSS, my friend shouted as he stood up, throwing the chair with him.
“I can’t see. keep it calm, please,” a girl asked kindly. I apologized on his behalf — as he is busy, celebrating.
Hakim Ziyech for Morocco. He scores. GOALLLL, I screamed internally. The second penalty for Spain and Carlos Soler was ready in position. His shot is saved by Morocco’s Yassine Bounou. He really did it. YESSS, I fiercely stood up, unintentionally throwing my chair and the bag, too.
The last one. Hakimi for Morocco. GOALLLL. Morocco won. Morocco goes to the quarter-finals.
Cold outside? Might rain? Who cares? I don’t. The match is over, but the Green March has just started. Thousands of Moroccans are taking to the streets with flags and drums and fireworks. Yes, they all know what they will be doing and where they should be going — so do you.
The build-up to the win was intense. You could have been quietly heading home had luck betrayed our heroes. But after such a great win you better scream, louder — DIMA MAGHREB.
The tension builds
Another day: Saturday, December 10. Morocco vs Portugal. Just another victory for Morocco and the Arab world and the whole African continent; just another Green March.
Now Morocco is the first Arab country to reach the World Cup quarter-finals; the first Arab and African country to ever advance to the semi-finals. History has just been made.
All the beautiful scenes we saw before become clearer and brighter: If this is not unity, I don’t know what is. If this is not real patriotism, I don’t know what would be so.
Only our Lions can create such a great heroic moment.
The big showdown
Four days later. Today is Wednesday, the day of the semi-final match: Morocco against the World Cup holder, France.
The match was hard, but so were the Atlas Lions.
They fought hard, as they always do, for those who placed their hopes on them. They never retreated or gave in. They showed no fear. They did all they could, but luck betrayed them this time. The match is now over. The Atlas Lions are holding their heads high — as the courageous lions do in the wild.
Hundreds of people are coming out of cafes with flags and drums and fireworks, but… are they quietly heading home? No, they are not.
Some are still celebrating. Others are not. But they are all walking proudly and firmly, like their Lions on the pitch did.
Atlas Lions have projected a masterclass on bravery and resilience. The scenes of unity and patriotism that they brought to us were unbelievable: the kind of scenes we have not witnessed in decades.
Our support for our team is unconditional, unquestioning, and unshakable — no matter what the results are.
We won’t argue about the match, about what happened or should have happened. Nor will we show grievances.
What we will do, instead, is honor their sacrifices and thank them for the great scenes of unity and patriotism that we had. This is in itself a win — the big win we already won.
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