Moroccans celebrate Atlas Lions' World Cup qualification from Casablanca to New York
via Le Matin3 min read
Following Ismaël Saibari's winning penalty kick, major cities across Morocco erupted in celebration as the Atlas Lions qualified for the World Cup. In Casablanca, avenues like Zerktouni Boulevard and United Nations Square filled with red-clad supporters waving national flags and chanting. Rabat saw similar fervor around Mohammed V Avenue and Bab El Had, with families and individuals sharing joy. Marrakech's Jamaâ El Fna square became a scene of popular communion, while Agadir's main avenues were flooded with thousands of fans until dawn. Beyond Morocco, hundreds of Moroccans gathered in New York's Times Square, transforming it into a Moroccan celebration with national anthems and chants, joined by Mexican supporters. In Beijing, despite the time difference, the Moroccan community, including students and diaspora members, watched the match at the Moroccan embassy, celebrating Saibari's decisive penalty. This qualification, which will see the Atlas Lions face Canada in the round of 16, has once again united Moroccans globally, fostering a strong sense of belonging and national pride.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Dutch media outlets, including the public broadcaster NOS, the daily Algemeen Dagblad AD, De Telegraaf, and ESPN.nl, have acknowledged Morocco's deserved victory over the Netherlands in the 2026 World Cup round of sixteen. NOS stated that Morocco was the better team and that the Dutch were dominated by the African champions, particularly in midfield. The media group noted that Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman's decision to switch to a five-man defense, a first in two years, demonstrated the respect Morocco's team commanded. This tactical change aimed to counter the Atlas Lions' strengths after the Netherlands' defensive struggles in the group stage. NOS also observed that this defeat continues the Netherlands' long series of failures against major global football nations. AD reported that the Netherlands simply failed to gain a technical advantage over the Moroccans, who dictated the pace of the match in Monterrey, Mexico. De Telegraaf echoed this sentiment, stating that Morocco played the kind of football the Netherlands was expected to develop. ESPN.nl concluded that Morocco abruptly ended the Netherlands' World Cup dream in an exciting match.
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