Rabat – On September 27, young protesters calling themselves GenZ212 filled the streets of Rabat, Casablanca, and Agadir. Angry and demanding basic rights, they called for better hospitals, stronger education, and better job opportunities.
Meanwhile, not on Moroccan streets but in a Chile stadium, Morocco’s GenZ footballers made history reaching the U-20 World Cup final for the first time, after beating France.
The two groups are one in the same generation, and before they attended academies and their careers took off, the footballers may have shared some of these social challenges. The difference between their current lived realities, the GenZ212 protestors argue, is a mismatch in government priorities, bringing forth success on the pitch not found in other sectors of Moroccan society.
GenZ mentality
Morocco’s GenZ has come of age with a new mindset. Unlike their parents or grandparents, they don’t carry the old inferiority complex toward Europe or the West: they see themselves as equals.
They’ve grown up connected to global culture through the internet and social media. They know what life is like elsewhere, and they are determined to bring global standards of opportunity and justice to their own country.
These young people were not raised to stay silent. They were taught to speak up – to question, demand and confront, not obey.
That mentality is reflected in football. Over a decade ago, under King Mohammed VI’s leadership, Morocco built a state-of-the-art national football academy near Rabat, spending about $13 million in 2010. The idea behind it was to find talented youth from across Morocco and give them world-class training, education, and support.
Graduates of the Mohammed VI Academy now play for Morocco’s youth and senior national teams, as well as top clubs in Europe. These include the likes of Youssef En-Nesyri, Nayef Aguerd, Azzedine Ounahi, Abdelkabir Abqar, and Alaa Bellaarouch.
Other standout players from Moroccan academies include Yassine Bounou, who started at Wydad and is now one of the world’s top goalkeepers, and Hamza Igamane, who came through AS FAR and currently plays for Lille.
The success of Morocco’s football academies isn’t just luck. It’s about what happens when young people are given structure, trust and resources.
The lessons from football academies could apply beyond the pitch to education, health, arts, and create environments for the youth to grow and unlock their full potential.
It’s important to realize that the protestors filling Morocco’s streets demanding basic rights and the young footballers are from the same Gen Z generation.
The average age of Morocco’s national team players in Qatar was about 26; with many star players being Gen Z or younger Millennials. Achraf Hakimi, the PSG superstar, is 26, Midfielder Bilal El Khannouss is 21, Abde Ezzalzouli is 23, Ismael Sabiri 24, Eliesse Ben Seghir, 20.
Media misconceptions about GenZ212
One of the biggest misconceptions about the current protests, especially in foreign media, is that Moroccan youth are against building stadiums or hosting big events.
On the contrary, Moroccans love football and revel in seeing their country at the top. The wins of the national team inspire Moroccan youth, filling them with pride and the belief that they can achieve anything. When the Atlas Lions are victorious, it is usually the Moroccan Gen Z themselves that fill the streets, cheering with happiness.
The issue that most protesters have is imbalance. It’s the juxtaposition of seeing the government prioritize multi-billion-dirham projects while basic public services deteriorate.
A mismatch of numbers
In 2022, Morocco reportedly spent around $280 million (MAD 2.8 billion) just to renovate and upgrade stadiums. Reports project that the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will host alongside Spain and Portugal, will come with a $15–20 billion price tag total between the three countries.
Morocco’s share alone could be about $5–6 billion (MAD 50–60 billion), $2.5 billion (MAD 25 billion) earmarked directly from the state budget for new stadiums, training centers and other facilities.
For these GenZ212 protesters, these figures are hard to accept. For context, the entire annual budget of the Ministry of Health is roughly in the same $3.2 billion (MAD 30 billion) range, serving a population of 37 million.
Meanwhile, the budget under the Ministry fo Health, $8.5 billion (MAD 83 billion), leaves public schools overcrowded and under-equipped.
“They know how to build stadiums that impress FIFA, but not hospitals that save Moroccans,” one young protester said in Agadir.
Gen Z’s fight against corruption
GenZ212 says they are shining the light on government corruption. They bring up the example of the football sector, where there are no reports of corruption, as tangible proof that positive results are possible when government priorities are aligned and honest.
In football, Morocco’s successes have been very visible. New stadiums are being built fitting international standards in short periods of time; there is success in all categories of the national team, and the country boasts great footballing academies.
With all eyes watching Morocco, the country’s national pride is on the line – a strong incentive for officials to ensure that money allocated for the footballing sector is well-spent.
In contrast, areas like health care, education, or local government often lack that integrity. A cynical joke that has become viral on social media these days goes: “Corruption fears cameras. That’s why it hides in hospitals, not in stadiums.”
The GenZ understand this well. Their chants about corruption target exactly those dark corners, the nepotism in public sector hiring, and the budgets that exist on paper but never seem to translate into improved services.
Morocco’s GenZ has already proven what they can do when given belief, structure, and investment. They’ve made history on the pitch and now, they’re demanding the same opportunity off it.
Their fight is not against football or progress. It’s for fairness, for dignity, for a Morocco that boasts major wins in hospitals, schools, and job markets too.
