The Qatar 2022 World Cup has reached its crescendo with four teams left to battle for the most coveted sports trophy on earth. The semi-finals stage is set to commence tonight in Doha as Lionel Messi-led Argentina trade tackles with Croatia for a place in Sunday’s final. The other semifinal duel which holds 24 hours later on Wednesday involves defending champions France and the tournament’s Cinderella team Morocco.
This mundial had churned out enough thrills, shocks and drama seldom seen in the 90-year history of the World Cup. So many talking points but one that rivets the most is the historic run of African representative, Morocco, the first African and Arab nation to sail through to the semifinals of a World Cup.
The feat was so monumental that almost one billion people across the globe greeted the Moroccan accomplishment with elation, joy and wild jubilation. When the central referee Facundo Tello from Argentina blew the final whistle ended the last Saturday’s excruciating quarterfinal encounter between the Atlas Lions and tournament’s dark horses Portugal, the celebrated football commentator Peter Drury relishingly poured lyrics to sum up the import of that evening result. His words: “Drink it in Casablanca, relish it Rabat, this is your night. See it from atop the Atlas Mountains, all above the Marrakech express, a night Morocco will never forget….The Arab world unites, Africa believes. For the first time there will be an African team in World Cup semifinals.”
Indeed, many will argue that Morocco’s 1-0 victory over Portugal is the most seismic win in World Cup history. For me, the result marked a genuine tilt in the axis of the sport.
It was a victory not just for Morocco but for the African continent. For the whole of the Arab world. Morocco did it for the continent. Africa this is our moment.
Historically, the Atlas Lions have been a pacesetter for African football at the mundial. After Africa boycotted the 1966 World Cup in England following a row with FIFA over a sole slot representation, Morocco qualified to represent the continent at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico where they emerged as the first African team to earn a point at the quadrennial event after drawing 1-1 against Bulgaria in their opening game. The scorer of the Moroccan goal was Houmine Jarir. However, they were eliminated in the first round after losing 2-1 to Gerd Muller’s Germany and 3-0 to a very strong Peru side propelled by the incomparable Teofilos Cubillas “The Black Diamond”.
After Zaire’s horrendous odyssey at the 1974 World Cup in Germany where they were humiliated 9-0 by Yugoslavia, Tunisia qualified for the 1978 edition from Africa after eliminating the mighty Green Eagles of Nigeria. At the World Cup in Argentina, the Tarek Dhiab-led Carthage Eagles did Africa proud, defeating Mexico 3-1 to emerge as the first African nation to record a victory in the mundial. The result was however not good enough to see them through to the knockout stage.
In Espana ’82, two African nations, Algeria and Cameroon posted modest results. The Desert Warriors spearheaded by Lakhdar Belloumi and Rabah Madjer pipped West Germany 2-1 in the group stage, while the Indomitable Lions exited the World Cup without losing a match. The world took notice and recognized the progress Africa had made in the sport.
Morocco returned to the world stage in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and the Atlas Lions, coached Mahdi Farias, parading the likes of agile goalkeeper El Badou Zaki, midfield dynamo Abdulaziz Bouderbala, Merry Krimau and the mercurial Mohammed Timoumi, became the first African team to reach the knockout stages of the World Cup after topping their group. Their 3-0 thumping of Portugal with two goals from Abdulaziz Khairi and Krimau was one of the highlights of Mexico ’86 tournament. The Moroccans, however, were edged out in the Round of 16 by eventual finalist, West Germany, via a Lothar Matteus’ solitary strike. The Moroccan performance in Mexico was widely celebrated across the continent as it heralded the emergence of Africa as a force to reckon with in the round leather game.
Today, Morocco continue to blaze the trail and set the pace for African football, making history, once again, as the first African team to reach the semifinals.
Instructively, the Atlas Lions attained this lofty height playing the most swashbuckling style of football seen at the world stage since the emergence of Vittorio Pozzo-tutored Italian national team which won the World Cup back-to-back in 1934 and 1938. Pozzo was the architect of the catenaccio style of play which puts emphasis on defensive doggedness and efficiency. As demonstrated in Qatar, the Moroccans are a tactically disciplined and well-organized team. Today, the fact still remains – no opposition player has managed to score against the Atlas Lions since the coach Walid Regragui took charge on August 31.
Morocco had defeated Chile 2-0, drew 0-0 with Paraguay, mauled Georgia 3-0 in pre-tournament friendlies. At the World Cup,
Morocco drew goalless with Croatia, dumped Belgium 2-0, beat Canada 2-1 (own goal), edged out Spain 3-0;in penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes of play and defeated Portugal 1-0 in regulation time.
As they step from the tunnel and file out into the cauldron to face France at the magnificent Lusail stadium in Doha tomorrow, the Atlas Lions will be shouldering the hopes and World Cup dreams of Africa and Arab world.
Morocco’s phlegmatic coach Regragui captured the mood when he surmised, “We are becoming the team that everyone loves at this World Cup because we are showing that even if you don’t have as much talent, if you show that desire, heart and belief, you can achieve.
“I am sure many of you will say this is a miracle, but we have won without conceding against Belgium, Spain, and Portugal, and that’s the result of hard work. We can dream, why shouldn’t we dream about winning the World Cup?”.
One of the enduring lessons learned from Morocco’s amazing performance in Qatar is football success has no short-cuts. While Morocco was busy investing in football, some other countries in Africa especially Nigeria were busy infesting the sport with politics and corruption. A look at recent performances of Moroccan teams in the continent suggest how well the North Africans have progressed lately. Moroccan clubs ide Wydad Casablanca are 2022 CAF Champions League winners and this year’s CAF Confederations Cup was clinched by another Moroccan club Berkane. In women’s continental club football, ASFAR of Morocco are equally winners of the 2022 CAF Women Champions League.
