Morocco have rewritten the history books by being the first African country to reach the semi-finals of a Fifa World Cup. They face defending champions France on Wednesday night, who stand in their path of proceeding to the final on Sunday.
Since the tournament got under way on November 20 in in Qatar, Morocco players have been buoyed by their mothers, who have joined the team to celebrate many of their victories.
Achraf Hakimi of PSG in France started the trend when he was seen kissing and dancing with his mom in the stands after a hard-fought win.
“I think it has bolstered the players. You know, as north Africans, we’re very close to our families, especially our mothers,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui told Fifa.com.
“The loving relationship we have with them is strong and I thought it’d be very important in a competition like the World Cup, that comes around every four years, that they too can experience it with their children.
“They’re not always with us at the hotel, obviously, but we know that they’re not far, we keep in touch, and we see them on matchdays. As we’ve agreed, every time they win, they get to spend three or four hours with their moms, so they can celebrate with them. I think it gives them the energy.”
According to Al Jazeera, and on the instructions of coach Regragui and Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa, family members chosen by all Moroccan squad members are entitled to an all-inclusive trip to Qatar.
“As a result, Morocco’s base at the Wyndham Doha West Bay Hotel occasionally feels like an adorable parent-run summer camp. For some, like Regragui’s mother, Fatima, the trip was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” according to Al Jazeera.
As a result, Morocco’s base at the Wyndham Doha West Bay Hotel occasionally feels like an adorable parent-run summer camp. For some, like Regragui’s mother, Fatima, the trip was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Fatima told Moroccan sports channel Arriyadia: “During his whole career as a player and as a coach, I never travelled to watch him. I’ve been living in France for more than 50 years now and this is the first competition that I left Paris for.”
Midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri’s parents have been the camera-toting kind. They spent a few days traipsing about the hotel, securing souvenir pictures with Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech, Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bono, and, of course, coach Regragui.
Regragui is under no illusion that Morocco’s hordes of supporters will again come to the party when they step onto the toes of world champions on Wednesday night.
“We know they’ll support us, those who will come to Doha and those who will watch us from Morocco. We’ll do our best like always. We will have faith in getting a good result and they’ll have it too,” Regragui said.
“For what they’ve been doing since the beginning of the competition, supporting the whole team, thank you so much. It’s not finished, God willing. The next step is tonight.”
Regragui grew up in France and played a lot of French football. He said the match against France is best for his loved ones, family and relatives.
“It’s somehow special for me too, since I’m also French and grew up in France. However, I’m trying to escape this debate and think only about football.
“I’m the coach of my country, that’s up against my second country, so to speak. The objective is to knock out France. It’s a football game, and that’s all it is, and in no way does it take away my love for France.”
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