Hind Sabouni bristles with pride as she recalls her country鈥檚 history-making World Cup run as it eliminated one European soccer powerhouse and former Africa colonial power after another 鈥� Belgium, Spain and Cristiano Ronaldo鈥檚 Portugal 鈥� to become the first African and Arab nation to reach the semifinals.
For the 26-year-old English teacher in Morocco鈥檚 capital, and many of her countrymen both inside the North African nation and throughout the diaspora, it鈥檚 about to get more complicated. Next up is France: Morocco鈥檚 former colonial ruler for much of the first half of the 20th century.
Wednesday鈥檚 match has political and emotional resonance for both nations. It dredges up everything that鈥檚 complex about the relationship in which France still wields considerable economic, political and cultural influence.
鈥淭his game is one of a kind,鈥� Sabouni said. 鈥淓specially since France is next to beat.鈥�
鈥淲e can show the rest of the world that Morocco is no longer France鈥檚 backyard.鈥�
For the former protectorate, the match against the defending champion is an opportunity to show that Morocco is a formidable foe 鈥� on the soccer pitch at least 鈥� even though immigration between the two countries has blurred the lines for many in France and Morocco about who to support Wednesday in Qatar.
Over the past decade, Morocco鈥檚 relationship with France has changed. Sabouni said her generation of Moroccans is tired of France鈥檚 dominance. Young Moroccans, she said, 鈥渟peak English instead of French, they buy more American products than French ones and even those who want to seek a better life abroad try to avoid France.鈥�
鈥淓ven though this is just a football game, some people view it as an opportunity for revenge,鈥� Sabouni said.
But not everyone.
Kenza Bartali, a communications professional in Rabat, sees no political overtones to the match. She obtained her masters degree in France, and lived for two years in Paris and the southern cities of Nice and Toulon between 2016 and 2018. She made 鈥渨onderful friends鈥� who are still her friends today. 鈥淢ost Moroccan students were treated with respect,鈥� the 26-year-old said.
Still, there is no doubt which team she鈥檚 supporting.
鈥淚 sincerely hope that Morocco advances to the final,鈥� Bartali said. 鈥淚 am aware that it will be difficult because France is a very good team, but we are hoping for the best.鈥�
Sabouni鈥檚 sentiments resonate with Moroccans and other North Africans in France. Although the younger generation of immigrants from Africa and Asia and their descendants appear to be more at ease with multiple identities and languages in France, they still face institutional discrimination, racial and ethnic prejudice in public life, economic hardship and lack of job opportunities.
Like in previous World Cups, France once again has turned to their national soccer team made up of players from diverse backgrounds as evidence that the country has indeed become a melting pot despite lurking prejudice, stoked against immigrants by elected right-wing politicians.
鈥淐ultural changes and changes in life on the ground do have an effect and the team represents that,鈥� said Laurent Dubois, a professor at University of Virginia in Charlottesville who has authored two books on French and international soccer.
鈥淭he way the players inhabit being French and don鈥檛 seem to have an issue with also being African or anything else at the same time is an antidote to the immigrant resentment on the right.鈥�
In Morocco, people have embraced the team鈥檚 foreign-born players as their native sons. They welcome the experience and professionalism they bring from Europe鈥檚 top clubs and are proud they chose Morocco as their national team when they could have played for the countries of their births, from Spain to Canada to Belgium and beyond.
The Morocco national team depends heavily on the diaspora, with 14 of the squad鈥檚 26 players born abroad, including their French-born coach, Walid Regragui, the highest proportion for any team at the World Cup.
Like Morocco鈥檚 supporters at home and an estimated 5 million scattered around Europe and beyond, many players grapple with family tales of colonial history, the challenges of immigration and questions of national loyalty. They want desperately to detach from the burdens of the past and win a place in the World Cup final 鈥� whether home for them is in France or Morocco, or Belgium, Canada, Tunisia, Algeria or elsewhere.
鈥淢ost of the Moroccan players, who were born abroad, chose Morocco as their national team because they feel they play for more than just to win a football match,鈥� said Maher Mezahi, a Marseille-based Algerian journalist covering African football. 鈥淭hey play to elevate national pride and to make their family proud.鈥�
For Regragui, his and his player鈥檚 dual identities are meaningless in the biggest match the squad has faced.
鈥淚鈥檓 a dual national, and that鈥檚 an honor and a pleasure,鈥� the Moroccan coach said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 an honor and a pleasure to face France. But I鈥檓 the Morocco coach and we鈥檙e going to be playing the best team in the world. The most important thing is to get through to the final.鈥�
鈥淲hen we play for the Moroccan national team, we are Moroccans,鈥� Regragui said.
鈥擳arik El Barakah And Barbara Surk, The Associated Press
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