To welcome home their national football team, the first Arab or African team to ever make it to the World Cup semifinals, tens of thousands of Moroccans descended on the city on Tuesday.
As they were taken from the airport and through centre Rabat by dozens of police vehicles, including cars and motorbikes with bright lights and blaring sirens, the team and their coach Walid Regragui waved.
As fireworks erupted over the seaside capital, the crowd shouted and some others flashed flares, according to AFP correspondents.
“I’m so proud of our team. Who knows — maybe next time they could win the cup,” said Adam Najah, a 27-year-old waiter from the city of Meknes.
In order to “live this historic day” and “enjoy the magnificent story of Morocco in the World Cup,” he claimed to have travelled more than 150 kilometres (90 miles).
Many fans had waited for their heroes for hours while wearing the team’s uniforms and waving red flags.
“I can’t describe my joy! They made us Moroccans, Arabs and Africans proud,” said Abdeljabbar Bouroua, 54, as the bus passed through central Rabat.
After finishing first in a group that featured third-place finishers Belgium and Croatia from the 2018 World Cup, Morocco advanced to the round of 16 after defeating Spain and Portugal.
Despite losing 2-1 to Croatia in the third-place matchup on Saturday, the Atlas Lions captivated Qatar’s attention.
“I would have liked to take them in my arms and kiss them,” said 19-year-old law student Leila Messour, who came to watch the team with her friends.
“They passed by quickly but we saw them — I haven’t been so happy for a long time.”
Later, the crew travelled to the palace, where King Mohammed VI welcomed them “in celebration of the historic feat.”
The president of the Moroccan football association, the team coach, and the players all received accolades from the monarch and crown prince Moulay Hassan, according to the national news agency of the nation, MAP.
According to MAP, the mothers of the players were also invited to the palace in appreciation of their efforts to “instill in their children the ideals of patriotism, sacrifice, and national belonging.”
