Unfortunately, the World Cup celebrations have been marred by the debate on dual nationality, which started in France and has unfortunately spread to the Moroccan community. It’s nothing to say that Marie-Aude and I aren’t football fans in general. But in this case, how can we avoid it?
I’m sorry, but you’ll have to excuse me if I include Zemmour, who asks what the King of Morocco would think if thousands of French people came out into the streets to celebrate Morocco’s victory (even though the match was between Morocco and Portugal, so it had nothing to do with France…), and Bardella [chief of a far-right party], who forgets to thank the ‘coloured’ players.
Do you love your mum or dad more? Morocco or France? That’s the question we ask all dual nationals (and fortunately we don’t yet ask it of French nationals living in Morocco, or Moroccans living in France who don’t have the same nationality).
This poster represents the tragedy of every bi-national. You get the impression that you have to choose, in which case you are either seen as a bad Moroccan who denigrates your origins, or as a non-integrated Frenchman. It’s a godsend for extremists.
Which means that, contrary to what “sportsmanship” implies, you’re “obliged” to support a team because it’s your country’s, not because it’s the best. That choosing a team would call into question your entire integration, the taxes you’ve paid to the state since the beginning, the jobs you’ve created, the love you have for France, or Morocco as the case may be.
Do you love your mum or dad more? The stupid question… and the manipulation in “pervert-narcissist” mode.
The phrase “I support both, may the best man win” is hypocritical, you can’t NOT have a little preference. If you’re a supporter, you can’t let go of all emotion while watching the match and be both happy and unhappy at every goal.
Of course you can be happy whatever the outcome of the match, because one of your two countries will be in the final.
Having said that, there are even worse “traitors” out there, people like Hervé Renard, Marie-Aude or me, and quite a few French people in Morocco, who support the Moroccan team, full stop.
First reason: we can’t exclude ourselves from the Moroccan jubilation
The fervour, the joy that surges through Moroccan streets every time a match is won, the shouts that come out of the cafés during the match, how can you escape that? Yes, for France-England, we heard celebrations in the streets, but seriously, can you go against the tide of an entire country?
Second reason: the Moroccan team is excellent
Reaching this level of the competition is proof that we are an excellent team. And even more so when you’re a ‘small team’ that nobody believed in. So if sport is about “being for the best”, it’s about being for Morocco.
Third reason: on principle, we’re in favour of the little guy over the big guy
David versus Goliath or Rocky versus the bad guys, it’s always nicer when a little gifted kid beats a big one. The big guy doesn’t have to be a bad guy, it’s just that he’s surprising and sympathetic to the underdog.
Fourth reason: the whole of Morocco is behind its team
Here, there’s no ‘blah, blah, blah’ about diversity, no comments like there were in France about the mixed origins of the French team. They’re all Moroccans, and they have 100% support.
The Federation paid for the travel of the players’ families, the King of Morocco got the Emir of Qatar to offer thousands of free tickets to Moroccan supporters, and plane tickets to Qatar are half-price (500 euros, compared with 2,000 for the French)… In France, the Federation did not invite the families of the players and staff, before slightly backtracking.
Fifth reason: they’re nice and MACs have replaced WAGs
(“Mother and Children” instead of “Wives and Girl Friends)
Honestly, an image like that is nothing but happiness and, in our opinion, it’s much more what football should be! (At least, we’d like it a lot more!)
She’s more than touching, this mum in her djellaba, her scarf showing a little of her greying hair, her fake Vuitton bag that we see in other photos, her mobile phone hanging around her neck… she’s a woman like thousands of others, a real Moroccan.
Marie-Aude said to me: You’d think they were my mother-in-law, or my sisters-in-law!
There was also Bounou playing with his son after the match, passing him the gloves, perhaps to inspire him to become a goalkeeper in his own right.
That kind of happiness has an extra flavour that we want to share!
Sixth reason: Moroccans see us as Moroccans and we owe them that much.
How many times have we been told, Marie-Aude, my wife, myself or others, on learning that we’d been living in Morocco for a long time “but you’re Moroccan now”.
That’s not quite true. But that’s Moroccan hospitality, beyond political tensions. And that doesn’t exist in France any more.
Seventh reason: there’s much more to Morocco than just Moroccans
The first African country to reach the semi-finals and the second Muslim country after Turkey, Morocco has more than a billion people behind it, for whom its victory means that people are not condemned to poverty, or at least that they are not condemned to destitution, that they can make it and reach the top even if they are not Westerners. And it’s all down to hard work, as Regragui insists in every interview.
Eighth reason: in particular, it reconciles Moroccans and Algerians
Despite the official silence, the Algerians were delighted with the Moroccan team’s victory and the border lit up. What more could you ask for?
Ninth reason: to enhance Morocco’s international profile
Hundreds of millions of people are discovering Morocco, and in a positive way. This can only be good for the country. What’s more, Morocco has rescheduled its sports advertising on French channels.
France, the world’s number one tourist destination, doesn’t need this.
Tenth reason: Rfissa is an excellent Moroccan dish
Unfairly less well known than tajine or couscous. Do you know what Rfissa is and how it’s made? Exclusively with chicken!
Eleventh reason: because it’s raining
And that rain is good luck in Morocco
So here it is
We’re hoping for a great match, and that the best team wins, and that best team is Morocco!
Is that all right with you?
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