Moroccan football fans exploded in joy on Saturday as their team became the first African and Arab country to reach a World Cup semi-final, filling the stadium in Qatar with a deafening roar and unleashing cheering, crying, dancing and singing on the streets at home, reports Alarabiya News
The 1-0 victory over Portugal was celebrated further afield, with exuberant fans from Abidjan in Ivory Coast to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia lauding what they saw as a historic win for both Africa and the Arab World.
“They made us happy and proud, and they proved that they can make it to the final. Why not? We are so proud of this team that is supported by Africa and Arabs” said Siham Motahir, a young woman in Rabat, where cafes had filled with fans to watch the game.
To the rhythmic playing of a horn, men and women jumped up and down waving the Moroccan flag – part of a sea of people who had filled Rabat’s city center, raising a cacophonous din of triumph.
The win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal is Morocco’s third over a highly ranked European team in the tournament, a run that had brought delight both in Morocco and for Africans and Arabs more widely.
African Union President Macky Sall wrote on Twitter, using capital letters to emphasize his excitement: “Historic! And Fantastic! The Atlas Lions Are Qualified For The Semi-Finals Of The World Cup! Bravo Morocco.”
Arab and African political and sporting leaders paid tribute to Morocco, including tweets from the prime ministers of Libya, Iraq and the Palestinian Authority and the rulers of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
Former Ivory Coast football star Didier Drogba tweeted, “They did it!!!! Well done Morocco for this feat. Long live Africa.”
In an Abidjan cafe where people were watching the game, customer Jules Goule said Ivorians were proud of Morocco’s win.
“Through Morocco Africa has just shown that it can compete with other continents in football,” he said.
Arab and African joy
“Waoh, waoh… Morocco! It’s with great joy! Africa is shining! Go Africa!” shouted Agwe Jefferson, 28, a driver in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde.
In Libya, a crowd watching the game in the port city of Misrata lit red flares and waved Libyan and Moroccan flags, while in the Tunisian capital people celebrated the victory.
“Today Morocco honored Africans and Arabs and made the dream we all have possible,” said Ameur Souilam in Tunis.
Meanwhile in the Palestinian territories and Israel, thousands of people packed cafes, restaurants and football stadiums screening the match, bursting into cheers with Morocco’s triumph. After its previous win, Morocco’s team had posed with the Palestinian flag.
“Seeing the Palestinian flag being waved by Morocco footballers made us feel as if we won,” said Gaza businessman Imad Joudat.
In the Edgware Road district of London, long a center of the city’s Arab community, the street was jammed with cars honking horns and waving flags and in Paris chanting and cheering Moroccan fans filled the Champs Elysees.