Morocco's underdog team the Atlas Lions enjoys success and support from a legion of fans throughout the Arab world as they gear up to take the field Saturday for the World Cup’s quarter final.
Moroccan players celebrate after wiing a penalty shootout against Spain at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Qatar on Tuesday.Morocco is now the last of those left standing and is hoping to beat star-studded Portugal at 10 a.m. ET Saturday to become the first African nation to ever make the semifinals of the men’s soccer tournament.
Soccer enthusiasts like Bibo from across the Arab world flooded a FIFA Fan Zone — sites where people can drink alcohol in the mostly dry country and watch the games on big screens — for the match against Spain on Tuesday night. “It was really awesome to be in the atmosphere. The fans were very noisy and super happy,” Mohammed Al-dubaisi, a Moroccan fan, told NBC News from the Fan Zone that night. “It was very awesome and proud,” he said.Moroccans celebrate their team's victory in the capital Rabat, on Tuesday.Fans in France, England and even Spain spilled into the streets to rejoice, some lighting fireworks.
And because Qatar is the first Middle Eastern country to host the world’s most popular sporting event, Doha, the country’s capital, has become a hub for ethnic Arab fans to revel in Morocco’s success. Fans from the region of the world are well-represented at the games because of Qatar’s location in the Middle East, which helps Doha feel like home turf.
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