Moroccan players exercise during a training session at the Duhail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. Morocco will face France in a World Cup semifinal soccer match on Dec. 14. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Andre Penner
MONTREAL – Just after kickoff to the start of the World Cup semifinal match between Morocco and France, the streets of Montreal’s Little Maghreb district were lined with parked cars draped with Moroccan flags, and its cafés were filled with excited fans.
At Café Sable d’Or, which is usually frequented almost exclusively by men, young kids and women sat around its small tables, eagerly anticipating the match involving Morocco – the first Arab or African country to make it to a World Cup semifinal.
Fans of Morocco’s national team say the odds are good that their underdog squad can beat defending World Cup champions France.
Ilyass JJ, 32, said he and other fans were feeling a mix of anxiety, nervousness and euphoria as their beloved team faced its biggest challenge so far in the competition.
“I feel euphoric like all other Moroccans, North Africans, Africans and Arabs. We are so happy that Morocco made it to the semifinals. We are so proud of the Atlas Lions,” JJ said, referring to the Moroccan team’s nickname.
“Today, here, we are gathering all Arabs, Canadians and Montrealers. We are here to support the underdog that ended up being lions.”
Sara Deis, 26, originally from Tunisia, said that the Moroccan team deserves to win.
“It will be crazy if they win. It will really be something special here especially against France. They will be beating their colonizers,” Deis said in reference to the colonial history behind the match – Morocco was under French rule for 44 years before gaining independence in 1956.
Wednesday’s game will decide who will face Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday in Qatar.
Meanwhile in Toronto, dozens of Morocco fans lined up at Real Sports bar. Fans donned Moroccan flags, jerseys and hats, and they chanted the North African country’s national anthem and even painted their nails red and green.
Asmaa Boufrari, 28, of Mississauga, Ont., was one of dozens that lined up at the Toronto sports bar ahead of the 2 p.m. match. “We’re very proud of Morocco, obviously, for making it to this point,” said Boufrari, who lived in Morocco until she was 20.
She said it’s “big” that the country made it to the semifinals.
“We reached this point, it doesn’t matter if we lose or win, at least we tried.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2022.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
