Despite Losing in the Semifinals, Moroccan Fans Support Their Team

After falling to France 2-0 in the semifinals, Morocco’s hopes of making it to the World Cup final were dashed.

The Atlas Lions, who had advanced to the semifinals of the most prestigious competition in the world for the first time ever for an African or Arab-majority nation, were defeated by France on Wednesday.

“We are a little upset, I won’t lie,” Hassan Chadilly, from Casablanca, told Al Jazeera at Al Bayt Stadium.

“After we kept winning the knockout games we had a lot of hope. Sadly we could not do it again”.

However, Chadily said Moroccans everywhere were “very proud” of the team.

“We have the most wonderful players in the world … the coach [Walid Regragui], the training staff. I will never forget being here in Qatar during such a historic time for our country”, Chadily, who is a Dubai resident, said.

The boisterous and ecstatic scenes that Moroccan fans have become known for during the tournament in recent weeks were not recreated, though.

As they left the stadium, a few spectators could be seen jumping and yelling Dima Maghrib (Always Morocco), but not with the same fervor as when the Atlas Lions shocked Portugal last week, or Spain and Belgium before them.

“I was really hoping we could meet Argentina in the final … but France were better than us,” Yassine Bouziane told Al Jazeera.

“But I’m not sad, honestly. They did the best they could do. No one expected this”, the Tangier resident said. “They made so many people happy – all the Muslims around the world, the Arabs and the people of Africa.”

On Sunday at Lusail Stadium will be the championship match between France and Argentina. On December 17, Morocco and Croatia will compete for third place.

Image source: barcablaugranes.com

News source: aljazeera.com