Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 3:39 p.m.
DNES ALI REFOUH
Tashkent – It is almost 6pm local time outside the Humo Arena in Tashkent, which is hosting the Atlas Lions’ first match at the Futsal World Cup against Tajikistan. The crowd is at its peak and the red and green colours of the Moroccan fans are unmissable. Surprising, considering the distance and the fact that Uzbekistan is not very well known to Moroccans as a tourist destination.
Young and old, traveling alone, in groups and even in families, these Moroccans who came from different cities of the Kingdom and different countries where they are settled, gave color to the place and made a festive atmosphere reign through their songs and slogans intoned in glory of the national selection.
For Mehdi, a young man from Safi, accompanied by a friend, this trip aims to support the national team, but also to discover Uzbekistan.
“We came especially to support the national team. At the same time, we visited this beautiful country that we are discovering for the first time,” he told MAP.
Regarding the chances of the national team during this World Cup, Mehdi, like all Moroccan supporters, expects a lot from Dguig and his protégés.
“We hope that our national team will play in the semi-finals, or even the final, and why not win the title,” he said.
The same ambition drives Yassir, his travelling companion, who came from Mohammedia, for whom the national team has reached a high level and “we are counting enormously on it to qualify for the final, or even win the title”.
“This is the first time I have come to support the futsal team. I have already attended the World Cup in Russia and Qatar and the Paris Olympics,” he said.
Among these supporters, some are an exception when it comes to the starting point. Hicham did not leave from Morocco or a host country, but from Uzbekistan itself, where he has been living for almost a year. And for him the event is special, since it allows him to meet compatriots.
“I am very happy to meet Moroccans again today, I met many compatriots,” rejoiced this child of the Medina of Rabat. “Look at the Moroccans, wherever they go they honor the national flag,” he said proudly.
For him, everything speaks in favour of the national team in this competition.
“Given the level reached by Moroccan football, all categories combined, the world ranking of our futsal selection (6th in the FIFA ranking, Editor’s note), the anchoring of mini-football (precursor of futsal, Editor’s note), in the sporting practice of our youth and the enormous work carried out on football in the Kingdom, Morocco has imposed respect on its opponents in football competitions,” he stressed.
The Moroccan supporters’ trip was not in vain that day and at the end of the evening, they celebrated the successful entry into the competition of the Atlas Lions against Tajikistan (4-2) and gave the national team a date for its next outing, on September 19 in Tashkent, against Panama, heavily beaten by Portugal (10-1).
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