Following their successful 2022 Fifa World Cup run in Qatar, the Moroccan national team received a hero’s welcome when they landed in Rabat on Tuesday.
National team coach Walid Regragui and his side were welcomed with chants, flags and lighting of flares as thousands of supporters gathered in the capital city of Rabat.
The Atlas Lions made history by becoming the first African team in the history of the competition to reach the semi-finals of the biggest football tournament in the world.
Their fairy-tale started when they beat second-ranked side Belgium 2-0 in their second Group F encounter, going all the way to win the group.
They went on to stun 2010 World Cup winners Spain in the round of 16, edging them in a penalty shoot-out to send them to an early tournament exit.
Regragui and his charges proved to be a team on a mission when they knocked out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal 1-0 in the quarterfinals, to make history in the world tournament.
Unfortunately, their incredible run came to an end when they lost to the defending champions France in the semi-finals.
The north African side secured fourth position in the tournament when they lost to Croatia in the third-place spot last week Saturday.
Morocco undoubtedly exceeded the World Cup expectations from an African side, as the underdogs displayed some of the most exciting football with their resilient defending and unearthed some of the most exciting stars that have since captured the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs.
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