Breaking through the glass ceiling and becoming the first African or Arab nation to reach the final square of the World Cup, Morocco can count on the support of the entire continent by challenging the French champions. The finals.
Beating the Spanish giants in eighth place and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in fourth place, the Moroccan course has sent a wave of pride and excitement among its neighbours in Tunisia and Algeria beyond the Maghreb and other African political strife.
‘When politics divides people, football brings people together: Tunisia-Morocco ties may be at stake, Tunisian Wissam Sultani said at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday Support the Atlas Lions as they face France in the semi-finals
On the other hand, in Algeria, the official media largely ignored the performances of the Moroccans, sometimes satisfied with the insipid results, while the private press praised them for their achievements. “It is perfectly normal for Algerians to support Morocco, a Muslim country, a brother and a neighbour.”
For the 45-year-old Salim, an employee of a public company, “the Algerian belongs to the Moroccan team that represents the countries of the Maghreb and Amazigh”.
In the Maghreb, like elsewhere in the Arab world, supporters and players wave Palestinian flags in a show of commitment to the Palestinian cause, even though Rabat cut ties with Israel in December. Fans say their support for Morocco increases tenfold when they see 2020 has normalized.
In Senegal, Morocco’s criticism of the ‘abuse’ of sub-Saharan immigrants has been silenced, especially after finishing eighth in the national team, with the Atlas Lions epic. African Union Acting President Mackey Sall, head of state, congratulated the Moroccan team for reaching the semi-finals, calling it “historic”.