The dream is over but there was no sadness, just pure pride.
Morocco lit up this World Cup with an unexpected run to the semi-finals, where their hopes of a shock triumph were dashed by defending champions France.
Walid Regragui’s men had made history by becoming the first African and Arab nation to reach this stage of the competition, but they ultimately failed.
Theo Hernandez’s goal after five minutes was the worst possible start for Morocco and substitute Randal Kolo Muani added a late second. France organized a meeting with Argentina in Sunday’s final
“We gave it our all and gave it our all,” Regragui said. “We caused them problems and that’s quite an achievement.
“My players gave a very good image of the team, a showcase of their quality. It’s hard to take, they wanted to rewrite the history books.
“You cannot win a World Cup by miracles, only by hard work and that is what we will continue to do.”
Moroccan fans ‘have been fantastic’
Moroccan fans had taken over Souq Waqif in Doha earlier in the day.
It’s the melting pot in Qatar’s capital where fans from all the competing nations congregate, although a France shirt was a rare sight on this occasion.
The Moroccans had traveled in large numbers and additional flights had been planned for the semi-final by the national company Royal Air Maroc.
Some were interviewed by various television and radio stations around the world, others drank local karak tea.
The puff of flavored shisha tobacco filled the air as they smoked the afternoon to calm the nerves.
The Al Bayt stadium could have been mistaken for a home game in Casablanca, with the small pocket of French supporters behind the goal vastly outnumbered by their red-shirted counterparts waving their red flags.
The volume of noise created by the North African team’s aftermath was increased before kick-off when those familiar piercing whistles echoed around the stadium as the France team’s score sheet was read. .
They were silenced just five minutes into the game when left-back Hernandez converted, leaving supporters to watch in disbelief at a shocking start – the first time they were behind in this FIFA Cup. world.
The fans woke up and continued to chant “Dima Maghreb (forever Morocco)” as they had done throughout the tournament, but Kolo Muani delivered a final blow.
“I loved it,” former England defender Micah Richards told BBC One. “It’s one of my favorite games of the World Cup.
“The crowd is great and the atmosphere has been absolutely electric.”
Former England captain Alan Shearer added: “Morocco can be very, very proud of what they have done and achieved, and the effort they have put in, not just today but throughout the tournament.
“Their fans had a fantastic time and really enjoyed it. Their team just missed out due to their lack of quality in the final third.”
“We realize that we have done a great feat”
The World Cup third-fourth place game is a game often dubbed the one no one wants to be in.
Try saying that in Morocco.
They have secured victories over European heavyweights such as Belgium, Spain and Portugal and beating Croatia at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday will seal a completely unexpected third place finish.
Former Southampton winger Sofiane Boufal and Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri prayed together on the pitch before kick-off, but divine intervention was absent.
Morocco has captured the hearts of the world with the passion of their fans and their progress on the pitch.
Post-match celebrations have gone viral, whether it’s hugging their mothers in the stands or dancing with them on the pitch.
But there was understandable disappointment here, a jubilant Kylian Mbappe swapped shirts and shared a warm embrace with dejected Paris St-Germain team-mate Achraf Hakimi.
Meanwhile, captain Romain Saiss – who picked up an injury early in the game – returned to the pitch one last time while carrying his son, surveying the scene as he pondered what could have been.
Injury problems proved extremely costly for Morocco as they also lost West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd before kick-off and Bayern Munich full-back Noussair Mazraoui was taken off at half-time.
At the end, the players bowed for a sujood (prostration) in front of their devotees, applauding them slowly before leaving the stage.
“Saturday is what they call a losers game,” Mohammed, a Moroccan fan from the Rabat region, told BBC Sport. “Third place would mean the world to us because we achieved the unexpected.
“There are no tears today because we are so proud of what these players have done for the fans and the country.”
Regragui added: “Maybe it was a step too far, physically we missed and had too many players at 60 or 70 per cent fitness and have been for a few games now.
“We realize that we have done a great feat. We have seen the images in the media, television and social networks and have seen that everyone is proud of us. We wanted to keep the dream of the Moroccan people alive and we are disappointed.
“We thought we could have gone even further, but those little things make true champions win.
“We gave a good image of our country and African football. We represented our continent. People always respected us, but maybe they will respect us more now.”
