History was made by Morocco, the first African and first Arab team to advance to a semi-final at the Men’s Football World Cup.
Endowed with impeccable organization and defensive will, creative midfield passes, quick attack and the rousing din of their fans, the Atlas Lions broke the elusive glass ceiling of the World Cup against Portugal to meet France in the last four in Qatar.
The sound of the Moroccan fans has become a lifeline that flows through the first World Cup to be organized in the Arab world. As magical as Morocco’s victory may seem, one cannot ignore the reality that no team has scored against them (other than an own goal while beating Canada). The team has controlled the playing field all along, stamping its authority with unimaginable flair and composed composure.
There are six remarkable forces that have driven their success.
1. Team spirit
Morocco showed the ultimate collective team spirit to knock out higher ranked teams that had a generous pool of individual star talent – Belgium, Spain, Portugal. What Morocco lacked in fame was made up for by the sheer will to win and the technical commitment of the entire team.
Their quarter-final goal, after repeated defensive pressure, was scored in the 42nd minute. A few good touches led to Yahya Attiat Allah playing the ball, controlling it and then sending a cross into the penalty area. There, Youssef En-Nesyri seemed to rise eternally above the outstretched hands of the tall Portuguese defenders, to head the ball in from the centre. The fluid passing was beautiful to watch, leaving Portugal stunned and causing pandemonium in the stadium that rippled around the world.
2. Driven by history
Motivated by the desire to progress past the quarterfinals, Morocco had to learn from history. The last three African teams to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup – Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010 – were eliminated in the most painful way, in overtime. In each of these cases, the African teams lacked the composure to see through their leads.
The Atlas Lions defended wholeheartedly and then scored, preventing any possibility of overtime. Even injuries – and the sending off of striker Walid Cheddira after a second yellow card – didn’t destabilize the side’s defensive rhythm. Portugal could not find the equalizer with star player Cristiano Ronaldo, among others. From the start, the Moroccans seemed determined that history would be made.
3. Defenses win championships
On their way to the semifinals, only Morocco and Croatia, who drew in the first round, remain undefeated. In the round of 16, they knocked out Spain on penalties, where their goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made huge saves to propel Morocco to the quarter-finals. Portugal’s elimination, like Spain, came about thanks to a solid defense that didn’t concede any goals.
It is often said that defenses win championships. If so, then Morocco has the qualifications to win it all. But they have to believe in their strengths and muster enough energy to defend for a long time in the coming games. So far their possession has been 22% against Spain and 23% against Portugal, which speaks to their defensive discipline and efficient execution in scoring. The low possession percentages also show that a lot of possession is no guarantee for victory. However, taking the lead also allows the team to narrow the space, forcing the opponent to run more – and then get hit on the counterattack.
4. Fans are the 12th player
Morocco is in the unique position of carrying the twin hopes of both the Arab region and the African continent. The quarter-final felt like a home game for Morocco, with the team’s supporters dominating in the stands. The Moroccan fans cheered the team, jeered Portuguese players and ruthlessly wanted to address their heroes.
After the final whistle, the stadium erupted as thousands jumped up and down, hugging and embracing. With fans stepping up as the 12th player for Morocco, it wouldn’t be a huge shock if the Atlas Lions can dig deep and get one more upset to make it to the final. Of the four remaining countries, Argentina and France are the only ones to have lifted the trophy. Croatia and Morocco are the underdogs, but they are the favored teams of the people of Qatar. Each of them could open a new chapter in the history of the World Cup.
5. Star performers
Despite the pressure to shoulder the burden of history, the Atlas Lions have shown they have the technical and tactical capability to cope. Indeed, the team is stable, organised, serene, sound defensively, creative in midfield and smart and efficient in attack. Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Azzedine Ounahi, Romain Saiss, Sofyan Amrabat, En-Nesyri and Hakim Ziyech were Morocco’s most outstanding artists.
Morocco has traditionally been a World Cup pioneer for Africa and was not deterred by Spain and Portugal. This team will be a tough challenge for France in the last four on Wednesday.
6. Local Guidance
If the Cinderella story continues, it’s because Coach Walid Regragui installed an effective defense-and-counter style that none of their opponents have solved so far.
Regragui ingeniously set up the team and led it to the semi-finals, changing the false narrative that local African coaches are not up to the task of leading team success at this level. Indeed, despite missing out on West Ham’s Nayef Aguerd, Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui and losing captain Saiss to injury, Regragui’s side have shown that an African coach can creatively harness both the players’ skills and will to lead national teams. to achieve glory.
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Eyes on the trophy
The 2022 World Cup was marked by unexpected setbacks and exceptional entertainment for fans. One of the goals of world football organization FIFA is to continue to grow the game.
Morocco’s qualification for a spot in the semi-finals is a breakthrough in demonstrating that parity is emerging. There is a large part of the world’s population that would burst with joy and tears if team Morocco had their name engraved on the trophy.
Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu, Professor of Health and Kinesiology, University of Texas at Tyler
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Read also | FIFA World Cup 2022: Semifinals on Thursday, December 15
