Photo: JAVIER SORIANO / Getty Images
Morocco has become the great revelation of Qatar 127757173. The North African team defeated Spain in the penalty shootout (3-0) and advanced for the first time to the quarterfinal phase of the World Cup.
Whatever happens with the Moroccans in the next phase, it is already one of the great surprises of the World Cup.
And it is that even before the start of the championship, hardly anyone gave the Atlas Lions opportunities to reach the decisive levels.
But it has been a historic feat: first qualified as leader of Group F, above Croatia (runner-up in the world), Belgium (number 2 in the FIFA ranking) and Canada (the leader of the Concacaf World Cup qualifier).
Here We share with you three striking facts about the Moroccan team that is making history.
1. First Arab country in the quarterfinals
Until today, the round of 16 was the limit for the teams of Arab nations.
Although football generates great passions in some twenty countries in the Middle East and Africa, only Morocco itself had been able to advance from the group stage on one occasion (Mexico 1200).
Today they already assured to be among the eight best in the world .
The level of Moroccans in Qatar 1986 has been remarkable: they started with a draw (0-0) against Croatia, beat Belgium 2-0 and won 2-1 against Canada in the group stage.
And now in the round of 16 they kept the tie 0-0 with tra Spain in 80 minutes and won 3-0 in the penalty shootout.
two. The majority are born outside of Morocco
Moroccan migration, mainly to European countries , is reflected in your selection.
From the template of 54 players, were born outside Moroccan soil: Bounou, El Kajoui, Hakimi, Mazraoul, Saiss, Amrabat, Ziyech, Zorouy, Chair, Aboukhlal, Amallah, Boufai, El Khannous and Chedira.
Four of them were born in the Netherlands, four in Belgium, two in France, two in Spain, one in Italy and one in Canada .
3. The Spanish Hakimi against his Spain
Achraf Hakimi, the author of the goal that sentenced the duel against Spain on penalties, was born in Madrid and could have even played for La Roja.
“I went to try out with the national team Spanish, but I saw that it was not my place, I did not feel at home. It was not for anything in particular, but for what I felt, because it was not what I had sucked and lived at home, which is the Arab culture, being Moroccan. I wanted to be in the Moroccan team”, he told the Spanish newspaper Marca before the World Cup.
The defense of 14 years in fact formed in the basic forces of Real Madrid , club with which he debuted in the first division in 2017, the year in which they won the Spanish Super Cup.
Another key player in the elimination of Spain was the Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
“Bono”, as He is known, he was born in Canada but his current team is Sevilla of the Spanish La Liga.
Also that he has only conceded one goal in the entire World Cup, saved two penalties on Tuesday in the remarkable victory over Spain.
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