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World Cup 2022: Historic participation for Morocco and a legendary welcome for the Atlas Lions

 

Morocco players on a bus touring the streets of Rabat as Morocco fans celebrate with flares during the parade, on 20 December 2022 (Reuters)



Tens of thousands of fans received yesterday in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, the Moroccan national team, after the return of the "Atlas Lions" from their historic participation in the World Cup in Qatar, and after they became the first African and Arab team to reach the semi-finals.


The players' mothers were not absent from the celebration scene. Where they accompanied their children during the World Cup and celebrated after each victory.


Tuesday (December 20, 2022) men and women of different ages and social groups lined up on the main streets and squares in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, since afternoon, waiting for members of the Moroccan national football team to pass on an open-top bus decorated in the colors of the Moroccan flag.


The bus was also decorated with the phrase "DIMA MAGHREB (always Morocco)", which the masses used to repeat to celebrate the victories of the national team, and a lion's head was drawn with golden lines, in honor of the nickname given to the national team.


Some came from cities outside Rabat such as Casablanca Fes Kenitra .. to celebrate this historic occasion and the beautiful story written by the national team in the World Cup.


Crowds waiting for the bus to pass


Morocco wrote its name in letters since it went to the first edition of the World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world, the Qatar World Cup 2022, and did well in front of the most powerful international teams before the dream stopped with a loss against France due to the bias of the referee.


Many wore national flags and wore the team's shirts, while separate groups of crowds chanted the national anthem, waiting for the team's convoy to pass. As soon as it reached Mohammed V Street, which runs through the center of the capital, cries of celebration, ululation, and popular chants erupted.


As groups of fans shot red meteors and fireworks into the air, the bus speeded past. The players, along with coach Walid Regragui, were saluting the fans, carrying national flags. A second covered bus followed, carrying the mothers of the players who were next to them in Qatar.

A royal reception in honor of the "Atlas Lions"

The historic achievement of Moroccan football continued to be celebrated at the Royal Palace in Rabat, were King Mohammed VI received the players, coach Regragui and Federation President Fawzi Lakjaa, and presented them with royal medals. Regragui and the national team players were accompanied by their mothers.


The arrival of the "Atlas Lions" team to the semi-finals of the World Football Championship, bypassing European teams that were nominated to compete for the title, aroused a passion and admiration that transcended the borders of Morocco and the green rectangle, to consider this achievement an example that should be followed in all fields.



By the way, Morocco was the first African and Arab country to qualify for the second round of the World Cup finals in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

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