On the one hand, there’s the ‘apolitical sport, Olympic Games, and all that’ camp, and on the other, there’s the Roman camp, which began with games funded by nobles, senators and anyone else who wanted to win over the people—or at least keep them quiet.
Wherever there are large sums of money at stake, there is politics. And this is particularly true in football, from Bernard Tapie to Qatar. I believe this World Cup has been the most contested, criticised and politicised sporting event since the 1933 Berlin Olympics. But it is also one of the events that generates the most enthusiasm worldwide.
Depuis quand les Marocains n'ont pas connu une telle joie collective, générale, unanime ?
— Aziz Boucetta (@a_boucetta) December 10, 2022
Football, a ‘poor people’s’ sport that generates billions
All over Morocco, even in the most remote village in the middle of nowhere, you come across kids playing football on makeshift pitches marked out on the gravel, with no goals or anything else but their passion (and Messi shirts) – almost like Walid Regragui, who used to train on a wasteland in Corbeil-Essonnes.
For all these kids and their parents, Morocco’s team reaching the semi-finals is about more than just Morocco; it’s proof that, even if you’re poor, even in a rubbish environment, hard work and talent can pay off. It’s another dream coming true – unlike the promises of a better future if you do well at school, which shatter against the realities of unemployment, the economic crisis and discrimination.
With sport, you can make it; you don’t need to risk your life crossing the Mediterranean or storm Ceuta… with sport and hard work, as Regragui says, Rocky can beat Apollo Creed.
And that is a message that the whole of the Second and Third Worlds are hearing:
Everyone thinks it’s the World Cup, baby this is the decolonise World Tour
— Khadija (@khadljasays) December 10, 2022
Morocco’s victories extend beyond the country’s borders
Twenty years after Turkey, who finished third, Morocco is the second Muslim country to reach the semi-finals and the first African country in the history of the World Cup.
Proud 🤲🏼 What a team! 🇲🇦❤️ What an achievement for the African continent & the Muslim world 🤲🏼 Great to see such a fairytale is still possible in modern football – this will give so many people so much power & hope ❤️❤️⚽ #Morocco #WorldCup #Qatar2022
— Mesut Özil (@M10) December 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/younityyy/status/1601633864782614529
The country that isn’t a country is taking part
People wanted to celebrate the victory of Morocco but they were attacked by lsraeli forces! pic.twitter.com/63r4AkaCKE
— Muhammad Smiry 🇵🇸 (@MuhammadSmiry) December 10, 2022
My brother's and sisters in Palestine stay safe. We will wave your flag next to ours on every occassion pic.twitter.com/42wlyUyyZC
— Aziz (@aziz_errafay) December 10, 2022
And so, in Israel, the Palestinian supporters’ celebrations were suppressed.
פלסטינים משני צדי הקו הירוק בחגיגות עם הנצחון ההיסטורי של מרוקו. זו לא רק סולידריות עם המגרבים, אלא חלק מהאושר שהביא ״המונדיאל הפלסטיני הראשון״https://t.co/D6hpfFioJ8
— Haggai Matar (@Ha_Matar) December 10, 2022
Some German media outlets seized the opportunity to accuse Moroccans of anti-Semitism and even of giving an “ISIS salute” (Islamophobia, you’ve got us in your grip!)
Support from Morocco and Qatar
WAG contre MAC (Mothers and children)
In the stands, you could see the players’ families. Not ‘just’ the WAGs – those stunning women known as ‘Wives and Girlfriends’ – but parents and children too.
These family values made an even greater impression on Moroccans given that, at the same time, some teams were seeking to promote LGBT values (and that Qatar had banned the wearing of armbands in support of such causes).
Free tickets, half-price flights
A packed stadium for Morocco v Portugal, 4,000 French supporters for England v France… they had to fill the stadiums, so thousands of tickets were given away or sold at half price. So, how are the French fans in Morocco getting on?
Les racistes, toute l’année :
“rentrez chez vous”, “vous ne serez jamais français”, “vous êtes des ennemis de la France”, “rémigration vite ✈️ ”
Les mêmes quand tu soutiens le Maroc :
“Bande de traîtres”, “vous préférez le 🇲🇦 à la 🇫🇷 qui vous a nourris ?”, “ingrats, on savait”
— Sihame Assbague (@s_assbague) December 11, 2022
🗣️💬 "Je suis Français, j'ai un passeport français, mais je supporterai l'équipe du Maroc"
🇲🇦 L'ancien sélectionneur du Maroc, Hervé Renard, soutiendra les les Lions de l'Atlas face à la France. pic.twitter.com/vnv0Dh4RYZ
— Rothen s'enflamme (@Rothensenflamme) December 13, 2022
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