Morocco’s dream in Qatar continues

The day after the coup, the hairdresser around the corner waves once again particularly euphorically. After the Germans and Swiss were eliminated from the World Cup, he persuaded the gringo from Central Europe to take selfies together, which he then smirked and sent to his community. Now he doesn’t want a photo, the tournament is still going on for Morocco, but to say how happy he is. “Although I’m Tunisian,” as the hairdresser says.

Next door, the Indian supermarket is also changing. He has now placed the Moroccan flags as prominently as the Brazilian ones before him. Argentina fans from Bangladesh, on the other hand, are sticking with Messi in their electronics store for the time being. That’s the panopticon from Doha before the decision of a football tournament that has been historic since it saw an African team advance to a World Cup semi-final for the first time on Saturday.

Africa’s footballers seemed cursed – until Morocco defender Jawad El Yamiq kissed Pepe’s bald head

Cameroon were just seven minutes away from that coup at the 1990 World Cup. They led against England in the quarter-finals but lost 3-2 after 120 minutes. Also in extra time, Senegal lost to Turkey in 2002. And even in the penalty shoot-out, the Ghanaians had to bow to Uruguay in 2010 after Asamoah Gyan had the match ball on their feet shortly before the end of extra time, but he slammed it against the bar during his penalty. Would there ever be anything for African footballers at a World Cup? They seemed cursed.

Now the tide has apparently turned. With Morocco leading in their quarter-finals on Saturday, Portuguese defender Pepe headed wide in the seventh minute of added time, which he usually converts. Morocco’s defender Jawad El Yamiq kissed Pepe’s bald head because the North Africans, who fought devotedly and were well organized, could hardly have survived extra time because they were outnumbered. Football is about fine margins, and the Moroccans have known that since they became the first African team to reach a knockout stage in 1986. There, shortly before the end, they caught a free-kick goal from German Lothar Matthäus from 30 meters away from the goal.

The Moroccans staggered, but they did not fall. And it’s no coincidence that their trainer, Walid Regragui, attests that they have the same resilience as a successful boxer. “We are the Rocky Balboa of this World Cup,” said Regragui after the 1-0 win over Portugal. His team’s performance in Qatar is truly Hollywood-worthy because it wins and stimulates the dream that underdogs can go far in life. And billions of people can recognize themselves in this role. This story fits in perfectly with the immigrant country of Qatar: Many emigrated here to escape abject poverty and to work out a better future for themselves.

Now this World Cup in Arabia has produced the first Arab World Cup semi-finalist in history. After 2002 and South Korea’s bull run, this is only the second time ever that Europeans and Americans have not been together in the semifinals; In 2018 there was even a purely European affair.

The Moroccan supporters sing “olé, olé, olé, olééééééééééé” – at jet fighter volume

In Doha, horn concerts could be heard again and again on the streets on Sunday night. And in the city center, the ever-growing Moroccan fan colony celebrated. Special flights from Rabat and Casablanca had brought even more fans from home to Qatar ahead of the quarter-finals, where the Moroccan Football Association, according to media reports, was giving away thousands of tickets that it had received from the World Cup Organizing Committee. Only Moroccan citizens could benefit from the campaign. In order to get such a ticket, some people slept on the floor in a queue at night.

Others who could afford it paid around $600 on the black market to be in the stadium for the match against Portugal. Nevertheless, the al-Thumama was by no means full when the game started, with people running hectically in all directions at the entrances. But when they were needed, the Moroccan wall stood.

The historic success would hardly have been conceivable without these fans, who can whistle at opposing ball relays so shrilly throughout the game that the Portuguese seemed to panic soon after Morocco’s opening goal by Youssef En-Nesyri. Conversely, the supporters of the Moroccans accompanied every successful game phase of their own team with the evergreen “olé, olé, olé, oléééééééééééé”, in jet fighter volume.

The high flight would also be unthinkable without the monastic goalkeeper Bono, who appears inspired at this World Cup. Or without the wild fighter and cool strategist Sofyan Amrabat, who works for a whole midfield row. And of course without the gifted motivator Regragui, who only took over the national team at the end of August after it had suffered from disputes with the Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic. Regragui previously won the African Champions League with Casablanca-based Wydad AC. When he took charge of Morocco’s side, he infected them with his winning formula of pragmatism on the pitch and pathos at heart.

Disciplined and passionate, his selection occupies the rooms twice and three times. Regragui says the ideas behind the idea are those of Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone, before adding coquettishly: “I know I shouldn’t say that.” After all, since defensive battles in Barcelona, ​​Munich, Liverpool and Manchester, Simeone has been discredited by many football fans as a defensive fetishist. But the parallels to Atlético’s best days are unmistakable.

Coach Walid Regragui says: “Now it’s time to trust our footballers”

No other team than Morocco has as many clearances (137) and ball recoveries (52) in this tournament. And no one else concedes so few shots on goal (11) and conceded (1, an own goal against Canada).

Apparently, Regragui’s appeals also make jumps like those of En-Nesyri possible. The Sevilla FC centre-forward appeared to be in the air like a superhero as he scored the winning goal against Portugal. The “beIN Sports” portal calculated 2 meters 78 as the flight altitude – these are values ​​that were previously only known in football from Cristiano Ronaldo, who was defeated on Saturday.

After the final whistle, Regragui was thrown into the sky by his players. This is now a fixed mission ritual in Qatar. Regragui said: «Morocco has great doctors, journalists, engineers. Now it’s time to trust our footballers.” They have Spain and Portugal, the neighbors on the Mediterranean, on their to-do list after Morocco unfortunately missed out on a win against both opponents at the 2018 World Cup in the preliminary round.

Now comes France, where Regragui was born, an opponent from a country to which historically the proximity is great. It’s the next test of Moroccan emotions. The goalkeeper Bono remains deeply relaxed. He says: “We can take on anyone. We create miracles.”