The Moroccan National Team, which won the appreciation of everyone with the football it played in the 2022 World Cup and reached the quarter-finals for the first time in its history, left its mark on the tournament.
The "Atlas Lions", led by Moroccan coach Walid Regragui, who emerged as the leader with 7 points in Group F, in which the last World Cup finalist Croatia and the third Belgium took part, established a throne in the hearts of football fans with their games worthy of the tournament, colorful stands, post-match joy and family ties.
In the cup, which started with a goalless draw with Croatia, Morocco, beating Belgium 2-0 with the goals of Romain Saiss and Zakaria Aboukhlal playing in Beşiktaş, gave the signals of what they can do.
The North African representative, who passed Canada in the last match with the goals of Hakim Ziyech and Youssef Al-Nasyri, saw the only goal in his goal in this fight.
Playing in the round of 16 match against Spain, Morocco sent home its opponent, who won the championship 12 years ago, with a series of penalty shootouts.
In the penalties, where Spain could not benefit from all three shots, the goal of Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi was the most shared information on social media.
HAKIMI AND HIS MOTHER GIVE THE PHOTO COMPLETING THE MATCH
Achraf Hakimi from Paris Saint-Germain, one of the football players who had a great share in Morocco's success in the tournament, runs to the stands after the matches and shares his happiness with his mother.
A remarkable sincerity and love is reflected in the photographs where his mother kisses Hakimi. Hakimi is not the only name in the national team that his family does not leave alone.
Family members of national team football players are hosted in Qatar. Coach Regragui's mother said she went abroad for the first time in her football and coaching career to follow her son.
“A LOT OF WORK IN A LOT OF TIME” FROM REGRAGUI
Moroccan Walid Regragui, the first African coach to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, took over the team less than 3 months before the start of the tournament.
The 47-year-old coach, who started his duty on August 31 after Vahid Halilhodzic's departure, was only able to play 3 friendly matches until the tournament.
THE NEXT COMPETITOR: PORTUGAL
Morocco, which has played all its matches with European teams, except for CANADA, will face Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo in the quarter-finals on Saturday, December 10 at 18:00.
PLAYING "AT HOME"
In the World Cup hosted by an Arab country for the first time, Moroccan football players felt the support of the audience in all matches.
While it is estimated that more than 15,000 Moroccans live in Qatar, many Moroccan football fans with geographical advantages come to Doha to support their teams in the tournament.
The interest in Morocco's matches is so high that the federation had to provide another 5 thousand tickets for the Spanish fight in the last 16 round.
Head coach Regragui, "We feel like we are at home. Moroccan and Arab fans in the stands gave us strength when we felt tired. We wouldn't be able to move on to the next round if they weren't here," he said.
At the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar, the Moroccan National Team made a remarkable contribution to Palestine, reaching the quarter-finals by surprising it.
Moroccan National Team players unfurled the Palestinian flag at the end of the match, where they defeated Spain. After the victory, Moroccan players circulated the stands, carrying Palestinian flags alongside their own national flags.