Africa, Arab world Hail The Atlas Lions - Thousands of tweets keep posting on the social media since Wednesday night. For once, you may think Morocco defeated France in semi final duel.
Gallant in Defeat
The Atlas Lions have made history and won over many admirers during their unprecedented run to the semi-finals, breaking new ground for the region, the continent, and the broader Arab world.
They won four matches (including the penalty triumph against Spain)—no African team has ever won more at the competition—and an opposition player didn’t score against them until the semis, when Theo Hernandez netted inside the first five minutes.
Of course, they’ve become the first African team to reach the semi-finals, an achievement that can never be taken away from them, and star performers like Hakim Ziyech, Azzedine Ounahi, Sofyan Amrabat and Achraf Hakimi have boosted their global reputations during the course of this campaign in Qatar.
There will be regret when the players wake up on Thursday.
France may have become the first side since Brazil in 1998 to reach consecutive World Cup finals, but they still don’t entirely convince when put under pressure or when faced with speedy players or quick passing movements.
Bukayo Saka caused them considerable problems in England’s quarter-final defeat, while Morocco actually enjoyed the better of the Wednesday’s clash, registering over 61 percent possession, and succeeding with more passes than the French.
On another day, with a fully fit and functioning defence, with a little more luck for both of the French goals, with better decision-making from substitute Abderrazak Hamdallah, it could have been a different story for a Lions team who certainly weren’t outclassed by France.
They will also rue the referee’s decision not to have awarded Morocco a penalty when Sofiane Boufal appeared to be brought down by Hernandez in the box.
On one hand, this was surely Morocco’s best ever chance of reaching a World Cup final, with momentum, a vulnerable opponent, and an immense ‘home’ support in Qatar all colluding to forge a fearsome prospect who proved too much for Belgium, Spain and Portugal.
The World Cup is a gauntlet, and despite overcoming many of the setbacks they faced—they started the second half against France without three of their first choice back four—Morocco will be acutely aware that much stronger teams than them have come unstuck, by fate or luck, far earlier than them in the tournament’s history.
This generation will likely be the only African squad to reach the semi final in a century of the World Cup; who knows when another continental team will return.
But this isn’t the end for this generation, who have already written their name in the history books.
Rarely has an African team appeared so organised, so well drilled, so tactically adroit and as unified as Walid Regragui’s Morocco, and unless he’s poached by an ambitious outfit any time soon, he can further imbue this squad with his principles and strategy.
He was only appointed in August, but clearly has the players’ respect, has outsmarted Roberto Martinez, Luis Enrique and Fernando Santos this tournament, and 47, still has immense room to progress himself.
Most of the starting defenders, midfielders and striker Youssef En-Nesyri are all in their early-to-mid 20s, and older key players such as Ziyech (29), Boufal (29), Bono (31) and Romain Saiss (32) can certainly be among the stars of the next Africa Cup of Nations in January 2024.
Unlike Africa’s last great side—the Algeria team who won the Nations Cup in 2019—Morocco have age on their side.
Afcon glory in the Ivory Coast must be Morocco’s minimum target, and while the Atlas Lions have never before qualified for three consecutive World Cups, the expanded field for the 2026 tournament means they absolutely have to be present.
With the country’s sporting infrastructure—at the heart of which is the Mohammed VI academy—set to continue churning out talented players with strong fundamentals, technical basics and attitude, the 2022 fairytale must be the start of a glorious era for the Atlas Lions, and not (just) the culmination.
