The Moroccan national team made history as the first Arab and African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, a feat analysts attribute in part to a major element, which is holding the tournament on Arab soil, as well as big Arab encouragement for the Atlas Lions in Doha.
Morocco’s victories meet with great rejoicing and widespread support in many Arab countries, from Syria and Lebanon in the east to Libya and Tunisia in the west, as crowds follow the ‘Lions’ matches on giant screens in squares or cafes and shopping centers.
In Doha, where the event took place, Morocco’s red flag with its green star dominated the scene, ahead of the upcoming match between Morocco and Portugal on Saturday.
Sports journalist Abd al-Ilah Moheb said in an interview with Al-Hurra that “only the ungrateful will deny the role of the Arab masses in the Moroccan conquest”.
Moheb says: “The organization of the World Cup on Arab soil also contributed to the success of the Lions.”
For Moheb, who is in Qatar, Arab fans play an important role in encouraging Morocco.
Hassan Al-Basri, head of the sports department of the Moroccan channel “Tele Maroc”, agrees on the role of the Arab masses in the Moroccan conquest. He told Al-Hurra: “In the World Cup in Qatar, the Arabs agreed to love a team that represents them and saves face, whose name is the Moroccan team.”
The international media have highlighted the role of the Arab masses in encouraging the “Lions of the Atlas”.KeeperThe British said Arab sports commentators also made no secret of their prejudice against Morocco.
“The whole Arab world is behind them – it’s very exciting,” an Arab fan quoted the newspaper.
NBC News claims that when Morocco plays a game, it is not only cheered on by Moroccan fans, but that “an entire nation from across the Arab world cheers it on.”
And the Moroccan players’ celebration after the game, as they carried the Palestinian flag, had a good impact in the Palestinian territories and other Arab countries, and social media was inundated with publications praising this.
In Lebanon, the French-speaking newspaper “L’Orient-Le Jour” published on its front page an image of the Moroccan national team with the words “Pride of the Arabs” attached. Al-Akhbar newspaper titled its sports page, “Morocco makes a new story”.
The Morocco national football team reached the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup for the first time in their history, defeating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday, becoming the first Arab and African country to achieve this role in the World Cup finals.
