Morocco’s impressive World Cup continues to receive praise from the footballing world and beyond. On Wednesday evening, the Lions of the Atlas failed in the semi-final against France, but several prominent figures were deeply impressed. Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand and Didier Drogba, among others, praised the African side.
Morocco was the first African country ever to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. Former Chelsea striker Drogba thoroughly enjoyed the World Cup sensation. He told the BBC, “They can still make history by finishing third. I’ve seen this tournament a great team that gave everything to win.”
“Morocco occasionally let France falter,” Shearer said. The analyst was impressed by Walid Regragui’s team. “Morocco can be very, very proud of what they have done and achieved. Not just today, but throughout the tournament. And the fans… I really enjoyed it.”
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton also applauded the Moroccans, “They are the story of this World Cup for me. They came up a little short tonight, but worked like a machine throughout the tournament. They can be proud of the shows they’ve given us. Belgium, Spain and Portugal are defeated, that’s a huge achievement.”
“These Moroccan players will be welcomed as heroes when they come home,” thinks Ferdinand. The former England international is full of praise for the North Africans. “The sound the fans made after the elimination said enough. It would have been a fairy tale if they had made it to the final, but this Moroccan team was unbelievable. It can only be the beginning of something special,” he added.
France’s president Emmanuel Macron
In an interview with various French media, France’s president, Macron also complimented Morocco. “The Moroccans played formidable. If they had equalized it would have been a different game. We’ve had a tough time, but we have a fantastic team. I also want to thank our national coach Deschamps and our squad, which consists of players from several generations,” said the president.
