Morocco's Historic 2022 World Cup Run
Before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, few people expected Morocco to get out of a group with Croatia and Belgium. A few weeks later, the Atlas Lions were in the semi-finals and the whole world was talking about them.
Topping a tough group
Morocco started with a 0-0 draw against Croatia, the finalists from 2018. Then came a famous 2-0 win over Belgium, one of the best-ranked teams in the world. A 2-1 win against Canada made Morocco group winners, ahead of Croatia.
Beating Spain on penalties
In the round of 16, Morocco held Spain to a 0-0 draw after extra time. In the penalty shoot-out, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou became a national hero by saving two penalties, and Achraf Hakimi calmly chipped the winning spot-kick.
Making history against Portugal
In the quarter-final, Youssef En-Nesyri rose high to head in the only goal of the game. Morocco beat Portugal 1-0 and became the first African and first Arab team ever to reach a World Cup semi-final.
The end of the road
Morocco lost the semi-final 2-0 to France, the defending champions, and then lost the third-place match 2-1 to Croatia. Finishing fourth was still the best result ever by an African nation.
Why it mattered
Coach Walid Regragui built a team that defended with discipline and fought for every ball. Players celebrating with their mothers on the pitch became one of the most loved images of the tournament. Fans across Africa and the Arab world felt that this success belonged to them too.
Your turn: who was your favourite Moroccan player at the 2022 World Cup?