Rabat – King Mohammed VI has sent a message to Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Dramane Ouattara and First Lady Dominique Ouattara, congratulating them on their national team’s victory at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The tournament, which took place in Côte d’Ivoire, ended with the host country winning the title after beating Nigeria 2-1 in the final last week.
In addition, the King conveyed his sincere and warm congratulations to the Ivorian nation on the victory and celebrated the country’s successful hosting of the 2023 AFCON.
The monarch highlighted the strong performance Côte d’Ivoire displayed, saying: “the Ivorian team rightly fills your nation with pride.”
He concluded: “Through its perseverance and determination, it has once again risen to the top of African football and has provided precious moments of unity to football enthusiasts in Côte d’Ivoire as well as across the Continent.”
Côte d’Ivoire’s victory was an unexpected turn of events after the team witnessed a rocky start in the tournament.
They faced the prospect of elimination during the group stage but managed to rise from the dead and secure a spot in the round of 16 thanks to the Moroccan national team.
Morocco defeated Zambia 1-0 in their last group stage game, which not only allowed the Atlas Lions to lead their group standings but also ensured that Côte d’Ivoire qualified for the next round as one of the four third-placed teams.
After their thrilling victory against Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire players expressed their gratitude for Morocco by waving the country’s flag as they ran across the stadium.
The scoreboard at the stadium also displayed the Moroccan flag, before flashing the message “See you in Morocco” in Arabic and English, in anticipation of the next AFCON that is set to be held in Morocco in 2025.
