The Russians spoke about the madness after the victory of Morocco at the World Cup: “Amazing atmosphere”

Quarter-finals made the whole country dance

Russians living in Morocco spoke about the festivities after the first ever entry of the national team into the quarterfinals of the World Cup

“It was a night of continuous carnival, cacophony and jubilation,” say our compatriots who live and work in Morocco. The national team for the first time in history reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup, beating Spain on penalties. After the referee’s whistle, millions of Moroccans took to the streets of cities. The Russians who settled in the North African kingdom told MK about the red-green holiday.

“After the match, my Moroccan friends almost tore the door off its hinges to my room,” says Alexander, who has been living in Casablanca, the largest metropolis of Morocco, for the fourth year. “They literally carried me out into the street. They shouted: “How can you stay at home at such a moment? Come celebrate with us!” Many people pulled TVs out into the yards and watched the match with their neighbors. Everywhere now they are talking about the fighting spirit of the national team, about national heroes – the “Atlas Lions”, as the team from the North African kingdom is called.

The best achievement of the Morocco national team was back in 1986, when it reached the 1/8 finals at the world championship in Mexico.

– Now the Atlas Lions have played a heroic match. We went out with friends to the street, and the crowd picked us up. People were walking towards the squares, dancing along the road. Everyone hugged – a familiar person – not a familiar one – it doesn’t matter. It was a universal holiday, which resulted in massive street festivities. People went out into the yards and sang the national anthem at the top of their voices. The city was painted in red and green colors – almost everyone was holding the flag of Morocco, it is red with a green five-pointed star in the middle. Flags were also hung in many windows of houses. Many residents dressed in T-shirts of their national team – such is their involvement in the victory.

Alexander says that one of his close friends was practically hoarse, but continued to shout: “Remember this historic day!” “These are all our lions, they made Morocco famous.” “We have been waiting for this victory for more than 30 years.”

— Passing cars constantly honked. Fans shouted chants, burned fireworks. Street musicians took to the streets. To my right they beat drums, to my left they stunned me with pipes. We returned home only in the morning. And the friend, who is just about to get married, vowed that if he had a son, he would name him Yassin, in honor of the goalkeeper of the Moroccan national team and Sevilla, Yassin Bunu, who took two penalties with the Spaniards.

Another of our interlocutors, Elena Khvalova, who has been living in Marrakech for 10 years, says that the Moroccan national team players are considered a symbol of courage.

“Football plays a very important role in the country, the Moroccans actively follow the games of their team,” says Elena. – We watched the match with the whole family, emotions just went through the roof. The whole country clung to the TV screens. The cafes, where large screens were installed, were filled to capacity. The match was very tense, the final was not clear until the last, but if you ask any Moroccan, everyone believed in victory!

Elena says that she and her family could not stay at home, they took to the streets of Marrakech to share the joy of victory with all the inhabitants of the city.

– Passing cars honked, beat off the football rhythm. People danced, sang, jumped, laughed, set off fireworks, waved flags. In Rabat, King Mohammed VI of Morocco drove into the street with a national flag in his hands to share this victory with his people. It was an amazing atmosphere of unity and joy! And so it was in every city, in every village. I would wish everyone to be in Morocco at such a moment.

According to Elena, the Moroccans were united even before this victory, this is part of their national code, and now they have united even more. Football in Morocco is more than a game.