No tears tonight. It has already rained enough in Tangier. Melancholy has just embraced this corner of Morocco, where the sky, so pitch-black, seems mournful of a dream so insane. Wednesday, December 14, the Atlas Lions stumbled against France (2-0), in the World Cup semi-finals.
However, in the alleys of Medina, no one really needs consolation. “There is no point in crying or being disappointed. On the contrary, we are very, very happy. This is the first time that an African, Arab and Islamic team has reached this level in a World Cup.says Abdel Ela, a 60-year-old restaurateur. “We can only be satisfied: we are close to the end of the tournament. And it is unexpected, unexpected, incredible.inhabited by Ahmed Aroush, another 60-year-old trader. “With this World Cup, we won with a big name”Mr. Ella claims.
How can you contradict that, a perplexing feeling shared by the Moroccans that night: to hear them, this defeat against the Blues is above all, “great victory”As Issa Zahidi says with a bright smile. For the 27-year-old receptionist, losing is also winning. Earn the gratitude of the continent, the respect of the rest of the world and the eternal love of the peoples. “The Lions really fought for the flag. They showed they have values, respect and sportsmanship.”insists the young man.
A few hours before the Kingdom’s historic semi-final match, we can’t imagine stepping out at the gates of the final. Blues Kylian Mbappe? Another hurdle to be crossed is Belgium (2-0), Canada (2-1), Spain (0-0, tab 3-0) or Portugal (1-0). This match between France and Morocco is a duel of a special hue: it resonates deep within everyone, with reason or emotion. Especially in the city of Tangiers, which is close to Europe. “The semi-final match against France is to play with the family, with your cousins or half-brothersThinks Hassan Amrabat, who runs a decor shop. We will win 2-0. So far, I have not been wrong in my prediction. » There is a beginning for everything…
A glimpse of history
Not far from him, in a shop where carpets overflow on the walls, Rachid Haddadi, a 60-year-old artisan, with a soft-heartedness, sees in this meeting a gentle nod to history. “To be in the semi-finals is to be one of the greatest. We must now treat us as such, and stop seeing us as an old colony.”He explains without the slightest harshness and in a calm tone. We Moroccans always dream of being better than the French who colonized us. To beat France means to overcome a kind of naivety. » Is it, then, revenge against history? No, we are not Algerian.Free Hassan Amrabat in an explosion of laughter.
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