From the moment it started, this year’s World Cup has been making history from being hosted for the first time ever on Arab soil to Saudi Arabia’s unexpected win over Argentina. It didn’t just stop there, since hitting the pitch, Morocco shocked the world with every one of its matches until the one game that put the world at a standstill. Yesterday, the Atlas Lions made history after defeating Portugal with a 1-0 victory, making it the first ever Arab and African nation to reach the World Cup semi finals. The match was ferocious with each team fighting with everything they had.
Throughout the game, Morocco’s goal keeper Yassine Bounou would leap across the goal, blocking shot after shot as Portugal tried to get in a shot, truly the hero of the game. Then came the 42nd minute when striker Youssef En-Nesyri scored the first goal of the match and from there, you could feel the bubbling tension and pressure across the field as fans gripped their seats as the clock ticked towards the 90 minute mark, with an 8 minute addition. From silence rose an eruptive cheer that rippled across the entire stadium when the game was over and Morocco was declared champion.
A Global Spotlight On The Arab World
With that win, the entire world shifted their gaze on Morocco and the Arab and African World at large and got to see the most heart-warming moments shared between the victorious players and their loved ones. Seconds after the big win, Achraf Hakimi and Sofiane Boufal scanned the crowd for that familiar face of the dearest person to their heart, their mothers.
In a moment of utter joy, Boufal danced with his mother on the green pitch while Hakimi hurled himself onto the stands, grabbing his mum in a beautiful embrace. Even after the lights of the football pitch dimmed, Bounou was still seen on the court, a big smile on his face as he watched his son kick around the ball while wearing his father’s massive goalie gloves. Those moments of affection between mother and son showcased the warmth of Arab culture to the global eye, captivating International audiences who re-tweeted Boufal, Hakimi and Bounou’s moments across social media.
Zeba Warsi, an award winning broadcast journalist from India re-tweeted Boufal’s moment with his mum with the caption “These moments are making me love a sport I’ve never really followed!” while the media company Getty Images celebrated Hakimi’s dance with his mum with the words “Moments like these” on their Twitter feed.
Beyond the heartwarming moments on the pitch, the entire world took to Twitter to celebrate the actual win with big names like Elon Musk congratulating the team. The bigger surprise was a name that has been cemented in World Cup history for years now, the infamous global superstar Shakira who cheered on the team while giving a nod to her FIFA song:
Shakira’s nod was accurate as this was not just a win for the Arab world but for the entire African continent as well.
African and Arab Nations On Cloud 9
Twitter was on fire last night as everyone shared the victory especially Arab and African fans. Former Cameroonian football player shared a heartwarming post on the platform:
Other prominent African figures also took to Twitter including Mimi Fawaz, a Nigerian journalist to cement the moment:
When it came to Arab countries, they took celebrations to a whole new level especially the victor’s homeland of Morocco. At Rabat, streets were packed with people with some even atop light posts, swinging and dancing while others voicing out a cheerful beat on a pair of drums. Cheers rippled through the crowds like a seismic pulse that reverberated throughout the city.
That same spirit travelled all cross the Red sea to the narrow streets of Palestine as people gathered in Jerusalem, swinging the Moroccan flag in pride and cheering with electrifying energy:
What’s Next
Now that the team made it to the semi finals, the entire world is waiting in anticipation to find out whether Morocco will make it to the finals after their upcoming match on Wednesday with last year’s World Cup champions the French national team: Les Bleus.
For now, this is going to remain a moment that will forever be stamped onto the hearts and minds of all Arabs, Africans and even the world. So here is to more wins and maybe even the World Cup itself.