Morocco is making World Cup history, after beating Spain on penalty kicks and getting for the first time to the quarterfinals of a FIFA World Cup. Morocco now has a date with destiny against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal, where the winner gets to the semifinals of Qatar 2022.
Players like Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, and Hakim Ziyech have elevated Morocco as many on the squad play for clubs like Sevilla, PSG, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea. While there has been some controversy over the number of dual nationals on the team head coach Walid Regragui believes it has been a benefit than a curse.
With 14 players who were born outside of Morocco, the Atlas Lions have players who were born in Canada, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, and France, making Morocco one of the most multicultural national teams at the World Cup.
14 players on Morocco born outside the country
Born in France, head coach Walid Regragui believes that dual nationals can only make his team better, “For this I have fought,” he said to the National News. “Before this World Cup we had a lot of problems about the guys born in Europe and guys not born in Morocco and a lot of journalists said, ‘Why don’t we play with guys born in Morocco?’.
“Today we have shown that every Moroccan is Moroccan. When he comes to the national team he wants to die, he wants to fight. As the coach, I was born in France, and nobody can have my heart for my country.
“This is what I say to the players. Every time they come to the national team; they give 100 percent.
“What is good is that players are born in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium – every country has a football culture and we have created a mixture and I’m very happy with that.”
Moroccan fans all over the world celebrated the team’s historic victory, one that made Regragui the first African manager to guide a team to the last eight of a World Cup.