Rabat – As Morocco prepares to play more consequential, qualifying fixtures after a series of poor performances in friendly games, Morocco’s new coach has embarked on his first European tour to supervise Moroccan players already on his list and to discover new names to potentially reinforce his halting squad.

Sources from the Moroccan team’s technical staff have been quoted as saying that Halilhodzic is particularly in search of a striker to resolve Morocco’s recurring goal scoring issues. During his European tour, the sources said, according to reports, the Moroccan coach will meet with players already featuring in his plans as well potential reinforcement, especially bi-national talents who may add more tactical depth, urgency, and scoring efficiency to the Moroccan squad.

Weeks after he replaced Herve Renard as head coach of the Moroccan national football team, Halilhodzic has not particularly won over Moroccan fans and football commentators.

The Atlas Lions coach has repeatedly spoken about “reconstruction” and discipline, but the results on the field—two alarm-raising draws against Burkina Faso and Libya, an unimpressive 1-0 victory against Niger, and an even more concerning 3-2 defeat against Gabon—have suggested his burden or responsibility (which is the word he prefers), is far heavier than he thought when embarking on his Moroccan adventure.

In Halilhodzic’s defense, however, as he himself has markedly put it in pre and post-match conferences since he took over as Atlas Lions coach, a particularly stubborn issue with the Moroccan team is their perceived inability to score goals, to make a more effective use of their sometimes flamboyant passing style.

While technical with the ball at their feet, and sometimes apparently irresistible with quick passing and ball possession, the Moroccan Lions have lacked inspiration and urgency in terms of actually scoring goals. The Lions’ story at the recently concluded CAN is a case in point. So was their participation in the 2018 World Cup.

In both tournaments, Morocco impressed in ball possession and technique but struggled to translate its technical prowess into goals, leaving fans and observers with the accompanying sentiment of most disappointments: What if?

Morocco will play Mauritania on November 15 as part of the CAN 2021 qualifiers.

After exiting the 2019 CAN in what many Moroccan fans have described as one of the most devastating and humiliating scenes for Moroccan football, the new coach has been assigned with building a group that can win the next CAN and qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

“Coaching Morocco is a big responsibility and an honor,” Halilhodzic said during a press conference immediately after he was appointed to replace Renard. He stressed his own objectives, which dovetail with those of the Moroccan football authorities, in accepting Morocco’s coaching offer. “My first objective is to qualify for the World Cup. I will try to qualify a fourth consecutive national team.”

In that conference, the Moroccan coach was crystal clear about what he wanted his squad to be like. Consistency, discipline, urgency, and a sense of responsibility took the lion’s share of his proclaimed plan to succeed where a talent-soaked Moroccan group blew away the trust and admiration fans and commentators had lavished them with ahead of the recent CAN.

Morocco is among the most promising footballing nations in Africa by all available evidence.

The country’s national league is one of the most developed—and revered—on the continent and some of the Moroccan players in top European leagues—Ziyech and Hakimi come readily to mind; but Mbark Boussoufa and Younes Belhanda are not very far off the scale, and there are many emerging talents—are among the best in their respective positions.

But since the 2004 CAN, when host Tunisia beat Morocco in the final, the Lions have mostly disappointed in major tournaments.

With the persistence of the scoring issue and reports of old internal problems, it remains to be seen how Halilhodzic will implement his “reconstruction” and put forth a confident and reliable squad for CAN 2021 and the 2022 World Cup, the two explicitly cited goals in his contract with the Moroccan football federation.

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Rabat – The International Football Associations Federation (FIFA) published today, October 24, their October rankings for national squads. The Moroccan national team ranked 42nd globally, down from 39th in September.

NEW #FIFARANKING

Belgium stay No1
Kosovo reach best ever Ranking
Nicaragua, South Sudan make big leapshttps://t.co/4WYcHU8sFz

— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) October 24, 2019

The Atlas Lions fell three positions in the rankings following their weak performances in their most recent games. Out of four friendly games, the national squad only won one game (1-0 against Niger). The Moroccan team drew in two friendlies (1-1 against Burkina Faso and Libya), and lost 2-3 against Gabon.

Despite the drop in the global rankings, the Atlas Lions remain 5th in Africa, behind Senegal (20th globally), Tunisia (29th), Nigeria (35th), and Algeria (38th).

On the global scale, FIFA’s top 3 included of Belgium, France, and Brazil.

Since the last African Cup of Nations (CAN), where the Atlas Lions were eliminated by Benin in the round of 16, the national squad’s performance didn’t meet Moroccans’ expectations.

The retirement of many pillars of the national team is one of the reasons behind the visible weakness of the squad. The former Atlas Lions’ captain, Mehdi Benatia, is among the most remarkable names to announce their international retirement, leaving a void in the national squad’s defense.

Vahid Halilhodzic, the new Atlas Lions’ coach, after almost three months on the head of the national team, hasn’t yet found a way to fill this void. In fact, in four games played at home, the Moroccan defense conceded five goals.

In statements to the press, Halilhodzic explained that the squad needs more time to become competitive, and that he is still looking for new, promising players to replace the retired ones.

The Moroccan Royal Football Federation (FRMF) has set reaching CAN 2021’s semi-finals, qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, and winning the 2023 CAN as objectives for the Bosnian coach.

As Halilhodzic’s squad will play their first official game in November, against Mauritania, for the 2021 CAN Qualifiers, it is yet to be seen if the coach will be able to build a team that is strong enough to achieve all of these objectives.

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Rabat – Moroccan Karate artist Aya Ouhra won gold in the cadet category, over 54 kilograms category in the World Karate Championships organized from October 23-27 in Santiago, Chile’s capital.

Meanwhile, Moroccan athlete Aya Nassiri secured the bronze medal in the individual kata on Wednesday. Benchbab Saouesen has also won a bronze medal in the under 54kg category.

The Moroccan team won one gold medal and two bronze medals in the first two days of the championships dedicated to cadets, juniors, and Under-21.

There are 23 Moroccan athletes participating in the event. In total, 13 men and 11 women performing in different weight categories: 47kg, 52kg, 53kg, 54kg, 57kg, 59kg, and 70kg have traveled to Chile for the competition. 

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Rabat – Moroccan athlete Othmane El Goumri finished first at the 2019 Dublin Marathon with a record time of 2:08:05. The competition took place yesterday, October 27, in the Irish capital.

El Goumri’s performance was the fastest the annual event has seen since its launch in 1980. The previous record holder was the Kenyan runner Geoffrey Ndungu, who won the race twice in 2011 and 2012. His 2011 finish in 2:08:33 was the event’s record until this year.

The Moroccan runner outpaced Irish athlete Stephen Scullion, finishing ahead of him by less than four seconds.

More than 22,500 athletes from 50 different countries participated in this year’s Dublin marathon.

This achievement isn’t El Goumri’s first.

Born in 1992, the long-distance runner represented Morocco in two outdoor athletics world championships and one indoor world championship.

In 2013, El Goumri won the marathon at the Francophone Games in Nice, France. He also finished second in the Mediterranean Games in Mersin, Turkey, and third in the Islamic Solidarity Games in Palembang, Indonesia.

In 2016, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) sanctioned El Goumri for irregularities in his biological passport, an electronic document presenting the results of anti-drug tests.

Following the incident, the Moroccan Royal Athletics Federation (FRMA) suspended the runner from competing for two years.

This year, as his suspension ended, El Goumri participated in several marathons in Morocco. He finished second in Rabat marathon, in April, and in Marrakech marathon, in September.

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Rabat – The Moroccan military has won three gold medals, one silver, and two bronze in the 7th Military World Games. Morocco finished 20th out of 109 participating countries in the global rankings.

The competition took place in Wuhan, China, between October 18 and October 27 and was organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM).

The Moroccan women’s parachuting team earned the first gold medal for Morocco. The squad is composed of Ikram Naoufal, Malika El Ahmar, Wafa Zeghari, Samira Mainin, and Fatima Zahra Lebyed.

The Moroccan soldiers finished first in the parachuting competition with 192 points, ahead of China (189 points), Russia (165 pts), and South Korea (159 pts).

Mohamed Reda El Aarabi and Amine Chentouf won the two remaining gold medals for Morocco. The first finished first in the 10,000 meters race for runners with special needs, while the second won the 1,500m race of the same category.

Hicham Ouledha won the silver for Morocco in the 1,500m race, while Hamza Sahli won the bronze in the 10,000m event.

Taekwondo fighter Noureddine Zyani earned the last medal for Morocco, finishing third in the Taekwondo competition, in the 87 kg category.

A military delegation of 50 athletes represented Morocco in this year’s Military World Games. The Moroccan athletes participated in various competitions, including athletics, boxing, taekwondo, and parachuting.

On the global ladder of the event, China, represented by 553 military sportsperson, ranked first with a total of 239 medals (133 gold, 64 silver, and 42 bronze). Russia finished second with 161 medals (51 gold, 53 silver, and 57 bronze), while Brazil ranked third with 88 medals (21 gold, 31 silver, and 36 bronze).

This year, more than 9,300 athletes participated in the international event. The athletes took part in 329 competitions, covering 27 different sports.

The CISM World Games take place every four years. The first competition was held in 1995, in Rome, Italy.

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Rabat – Former Tottenham Hotspur football player Rafael van der Vaart advised the chairman of his club, Daniel Levy, to sign  Moroccan football player Hakim Ziyech next summer mercato (transfer window).

Quoted by Sky Sports, van der Vaart said that he “sent a message today to Levy.”

He added that he told the chairman of the club to “get Ziech after this season.”

Hakim Ziyech, who plays for Ajax Amsterdam is one of the key players in Morocco’s national football team. He represented Morocco during the 2018 World Cup and the 2019 African Cup of Nations (CAN).

Read Also: Hakim Ziyech Named Dutch League’s Best Player for August

Ziyech’s performances with his Dutch club make him an important target for several international football clubs, including Sevilla, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich.

In August, Ajax extended the contract of the Moroccan international until 2022.

The international football player’s impressive performances have won him both awards and confidence.

The highest echelon of professional football in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie, the country’s top football league, named Hakim Ziyech the Best Player for the Month of August.

Read Also: Ajax Reviews Ziyech’s Exit Clause Amid Interest from Europe’s Heavy Weights

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Rabat – The Moroccan national football team’s new coach, Vahid Halilhodzic, is due to  announce his list of players for the Atlas Lions’ upcoming games. The list will include 14 players from Morocco’s local football league “Botola,” according to newspaper Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

The  players on the coach’s squad list will participate in a training period, before Morocco’s games against Mauritania, on November 15, and Burundi, on November 19, for the 2021 African Cup of Nations (CAN) Qualifiers.

Reports say that the majority of local players on Halilhodzic’s list are from Casablanca’s teams, Wydad and Raja. The list is said to include six players from Wydad Casablanca (Achraf Dari, Mohamed Nahiri, Yahya Jabrane, Badii Ouk, Ismail El Haddad, and Oualid El Karti), and four players from Raja Casablanca (Anas Zniti, Badr Benoun, Hamid Ahaddad, and Omar Boutayeb).

The Bosnian coach’s rumored decision to summon such a large number of local players comes only a few weeks after his controversial statements criticizing them. During a press conference, Halilhodzic said that “the difference between players from Morocco’s Botola players and players from European teams is obvious.”

“If we compare Achraf Hakimi, for example, to local players, it feels like Hakimi plays football while others are playing something different,” he added.

A few days after the statement, Moroccan local players proved that the Bosnian’s words are not true, through an impressive win 3-0 against Algeria when the team qualified for the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN) – the CAN equivalent for teams made entirely of local players.

The exceptional number of local players isn’t the only novelty in Halilhodzic’s list. According to the same source, the Atlas Lions’ coach will also call up strikers Abderrazak Hamdallah and Youssef El Arabi.

Hamdalllah hasn’t played with the national squad since his controversial departure from the Atlas Lions’ training camp days before the start of CAN 2019, despite his impressive performances with his Saudi club Al-Nassr.

El Arabi’s last game with the Moroccan team dates back to January 2017 for the CAN. He hasn’t been summoned to play for Morocco since then. However, the striker is having a great start to the season with his Greek club Olympiakos. El Arabi scored seven goals in 13 appearances this season.

As the upcoming fixtures are the first official games for the Atlas Lions under Halilhodzic, the coach is facing a lot of pressure from the public to build a strong team, capable of being one of the best in Africa.

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Rabat – Morocco won 10 medals, three gold, two silver, and five bronze in the Junior World Karate Championships. The tournament took place in Santiago, Chile, from October 23 to October 27.

The Moroccan team ended the competition in fourth place on the medals board. Egypt, Turkey, and France took the top three places.

Egyptian athletes dominated the competition with a total of 19 medals, followed by Turkey with 15 medals, and France in third position with 12 medals.

The event included three age categories; cadet (14-15 years old), junior (16-17), and U21 (18-20).

Yassine Sekouri won the gold for Morocco in the U21, -75kg category, along with Aya Ouhra (cadet, +54kg) and Mehdi Sriti (junior, -76kg).

Abdelali Jina (junior, -55kg) and Chaimae El Hayti (U21, -50kg) finished second in their respective categories, winning two silver medals for Morocco.

Three members of Morocco’s U21 squad won bronze medals. Fatima Zahra Chajai (-61kg), Anas Alami (-67kg), and Mohamed Bahri (-84kg) all finished third in their brackets.

The final bronze medals went to to Saouesen Benchbab (cadet, -54kg) and Aya Nassiri in the U21 individual Kata competition.

On Monday, October 28, the Moroccan ambassador to Chile, Kenza Elghali, organized a reception for the Moroccan karate squad.

During the ceremony, the president of the Moroccan delegation to Santiago, Zitouni Mtyout, said that “these good results from the young Moroccan karateka are unprecedented.”

“It’s not easy to win 10 medals, including three gold ones, in a world championship,” he added.

The national team’s coach, Sayed El Feky, also congratulated his athletes for their “impressive results.”

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Rabat –  Mohammed Ihattaren, a promising Moroccan-Dutch football player, has decided to represent the Netherlands instead of Morocco.

The midfielder made his choice today, November 3. 

Since the beginning of the year, Morocco’s Football Federation intensified its efforts to secure the football player.

Atlas Lions head coach Vahid Halilhodzic also attempted to convince Ihattaren to join the Moroccan national team due to his spectacular professional performances with his Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

The newly appointed head coach also picked the attacking midfielder for his list of pre-selected players for the Atlas Lions’ friendly games in September

However, the 17-year old football player believes that it is better for him continue to represent the “Oranje.”

“I played for the Netherlands for the under 14s [team] and I won the European Championship  with the Under-17 team with the Oranje. It’s good that I can continue.”

Manager of the Netherlands national team Ronald Koeman expressed satisfaction with winning the race over Ihattaren.

“Mo is a very young player with strong development potential.”

“Keeping  that kind of talent in Dutch football is a good thing,” he added.

Koeman, in several interviews, said he will do everything in his power to convince the football player to represent the Netherlands.

“Ihattaran cannot play for Morocco in September,” he said when Moroccan coach called upon him to represent Morocco in a friendly game.

“In case Ihattaren chooses to play for Morocco, he will have to follow some procedures, including filling in a formal request declaring his intention to join Morocco,” the coach of the Netherlands said.

Ihattaren currently plays for Dutch PSV Eindhoven as an attacking midfielder.

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Rabat – Moroccan Taekwondo player Achraf Mahboubi won a bronze medal in the Taekwondo Grand Slam tournament. Mahboubi competes in the -80kg category.

The tournament took place in Wuxi, eastern China, from November 1 to November 3. It is part of a series of competitions held throughout the year that serve as qualifiers for the 2020 Taekwondo World Championships in Japan.

The Moroccan athlete won in the first two fights against Chinese athletes. Mahboubi also beat a Japanese fighter in the quarter finals before losing in a close fight to a South Korean athlete in the semi finals.

The bronze medal will allow Mahboubi to take part in the Grand Slam finals in December, with a cash prize of $70,000 for the winners, and $20,000 and $10,000 for those in second and third places respectively.

More than 300 athletes from all continents participated in the competition at Wuxi. The Moroccan squad was composed of 10 athletes.

Mahboubi is one of the most prominent Moroccan Taekwondo fighters. The 19-year-old athlete won a silver medal in the 12th African Games that took place in Rabat between August 19 and 31, 2019.

The young athlete also won a bronze medal in the Rome Grand Slam tournament in June 2019. The medal was Morocco’s first in this series of competitions since its launch in 2013. During the competition, Mahboubi lost in the semi finals to the Russian athlete, Khramtcov Maksim, the world’s number one in the -80kg division.

Mahboubi is ranked 63rd worldwide in his category but is climbing steadily with his consistent international performances.

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Rabat – Former Dutch professional football player Mario Been believes that Moroccan international player Hakim Ziyech has nothing “more to learn” in the Eredivisie, the highest championship in the Netherlands.

Been said that Ziyech should consider more options. 

“In the Dutch competition, he doesn’t learn anything anymore and he is so far the best player we have here,” the sports analyst added.

Ziyech is a key player at his Dutch football club, Ajax Amsterdam.

Despite receiving several important offers from renowned international football clubs, Ziyech chose to extend his contract with Ajax Amsterdam until 2022 in August.

In July, the football player said that he had rejected an offer to join Sevilla, saying that the Spanish club is at the same level as Ajax.

“I don’t switch Ajax for nothin’,” he told Fox Sports.

Read Also: Hakim Ziyech Named Dutch League’s Best Player for August

Last week, former Tottenham Hotspur football star Rafael van der Vaart asked Daniel Levy, the chairman of the club,  to sign Ziyech in the next transfer window.

Van der Vaart said that he “sent a message”  to Levy asking him to sign the Atlas Lion.

Ziyech has given some spectacular performances with Ajax, making him one of the key targets for several international football clubs, including Arsenal and Bayern Munich.

Eredivisie, the highest echelon of professional football in the Netherlands, named Ziyech the best player for the month of August.

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Rabat – On the 44th anniversary of the Green March in Morocco, football legends from around the world will convene at the Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf Stadium in Laayoune for a gala match on Wednesday, November 6.

The annual Green March celebration commemorates the 1975 movement when 350,000 unarmed Moroccans marched into the Sahara. The march protested the Spanish occupation of Western Sahara during the rule of King Hassan II.

Read also: King Mohammed VI to Deliver Speech on 44th Anniversary of Green March

The anniversary of the Green March is celebrated in Morocco as a national holiday, and the football match in Laayoune is a key component of the annual celebration. 

Dozens of international football stars, most of whom are retired, will face off in the traditional Green March gala match. 

The players will be divided into two teams based on their country of origin. One team will consist of players from Africa and the Middle East, and the other welcomes players from the rest of the world. 

Some of the football stars have taken to social media to announce their arrival in Morocco, much to the delight of their Moroccan fans who have been leaving words of welcome under the players’ photos. 

The African team

Khalilou Fadiga, a retired Senagelse midfielder, shared an Instagram selfie this afternoon announcing his touchdown in Morocco. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#maroc et me voilà chez les lions de l Atlas,toujours un plaisir de revoir cette belle ville #marrakech En route pour célébrer #lamarcheverte, à #Laayoune cette grande marche est une étape marquante dans l’histoire du Royaume #sahara #noiretfier #blackandwhite #blackexcellence #blackmen #africa GOD IS GOOD

A post shared by @ khaliloufadiga on Nov 5, 2019 at 3:18am PST

In his caption, Fadiga described the 1975 Green March as a “milestone in the history of the Kingdom,” tagging the photo #sahara.

Nader El-Sayed, a former Egyptian goalkeeper, shared several Instagram stories last night from Dar Moha, an upscale Moroccan restaurant in Marrakech. 

Zoubaier Baya, a retired Tunisian midfielder, has been sharing photos of himself in Morocco since Sunday. He posted a photo to his Instagram story last night with Kalusha Bwalya, a Zambian former international footballer, after sharing videos of his outings in Marrakech. 

Baya also snapped a group photo with Tareq al Taieb and Karim Haggui. 

Al Taieb, a Libyan midfielder, shared the same photo on his Instagram.

“With the stars of Arab and African football,” his caption reads in Arabic.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

مساء الخير مع نجم الزمالك ومصر إسماعيل يوسف من الناس المحترمة جدا

A post shared by طارق التايب (@tareqaltaib77) on Nov 5, 2019 at 3:46am PST

Al Taieb also posted a photo with Ismail Youssef, a retired Egyptian football player, at the Savoy Le Grand Hotel in Marrakech. 

Haggui reposted the group picture with Baya and al Taieb, as well. The Tunisian national, who is now a coach in Germany, also shared a photo with Roger Milla, a retired Cameroonian forward. 

In an Instagram story, Haggui posed with his wife at the Royal Mansour Hotel in Marrakech.  

Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, and Niger will also be represented by football stars at the Green March gala match. Two players from Saudi Arabia will be on the African team, along with a player from the UAE. 

The 20 confirmed players on the African team include Abedi Pele and Samuel Eto’o.

The international team

Javier Saviola shared a photo on Instagram yesterday of himself seated beside a Moroccan flag. The photo’s location is simply tagged Morocco.

“Hello Morocco,” his caption reads in Spanish. “It’s a huge joy to be here again.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Hola Marruecos una alegría enorme estar nuevamente por aquí @othmane_kettani

A post shared by Javier Saviola (@javier.saviolaok) on Nov 4, 2019 at 1:10pm PST

Saviola is a retired forward from Argentina. The 37-year-old played for various European teams throughout his career, including Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Fellow Argentine footballer Hernan Crespo, the country’s fourth-highest goalscorer, confirmed his arrival in Morocco today with an Instagram story.

Rafael Marquez, widely regarded as one of the best Mexican footballers of all time, shared a video of himself in Marrakech on Instagram. 

Rivaldo Ferreira announced his arrival in Morocco today through Instagram stories, posted to both his and his wife’s profiles. 

The retired Brazilian footballer, known as Rivaldo, was the second top goalscorer in his first season at Barcelona. 

Luis Figo, an iconic retired Portuguese midfielder for Barcelona and Real Madrid, also arrived in Marrakech today after celebrating his 47th birthday on November 4. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Arrived in Marrakech for the LAAYOUNE a international charity game with the Support of the King MOHAMMED VI @setoo9 @othmane_kettani @mohamedramadanws

A post shared by Luís Figo (@luis__figo) on Nov 5, 2019 at 9:13am PST

Edmilson Moraes, known as Edmilson, shared a video with his Instagram followers as he boarded a flight from Istanbul to Casablanca. 

The 2002 World champion from Brazil played for Sao Paulo, Olympique Lyonnais, and Barcelona during his international football career.

Footballers from Italy, Serbia, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, Portugal, and France will also represent the international team at the Green March gala match. 

The 18 confirmed players on the international team include Luis Figo, Diego Forlan, and Cafu.

Notable absences

Fans of the retired Brazilian star Ronaldinho, who participated in the Green March gala match last year, will be disappointed by his absence from this year’s event.

False reports circulated among Moroccan news outlets that David Beckham, a retired English football star and UNICEF ambassador, was set to participate in the Green March match. 

UNICEF UK denied these claims on Twitter.

As a branch of the UN, UNICEF holds a neutral position in the Western Sahara conflict. Beckham, as a UNICEF ambassador, is bound by the same regulations. 

The Green March anniversary football match serves as a celebration of Morocco’s momentous protest against Spanish imperialism while promoting the Kingdom as a football destination. 

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Rabat – David Beckham, one of the world’s top football stars, is set to attend the gala in honor of the 44th anniversary of the Green March in Laayoune in Morocco’s southern provinces.

The annual Green March celebration commemorates the 1975 movement when 350,000 unarmed Moroccans marched into the Sahara. The march protested the Spanish occupation of Western Sahara during the rule of King Hassan II.

“We have to do one thing, dear people, and that is to undertake a peaceful march from the north, the east, the west to the south. It behooves us to act as one man in order to join the Sahara,” King Hassan II said in his call-to-action on October 16, 1975.

The Green March on November 6, 1975, demonstrated Morocco’s commitment to its territorial integrity. The Spanish occupation of Western Sahara ended a week later on November 14 under the Madrid Accords. 

Every year since the 1975 march, the city of Laayoune has hosted a celebration of Western Sahara’s “Moroccanness,” to quote King Mohammed VI in his speech last year ahead of the Green March’s 43rd anniversary.

Read also: Retired International Footballers to Play in Laayoune Green March Gala

Part of this annual celebration is a football match at the El Sheikh Stadium in Ghazghef, Laayoune. 

Beckham will participate in the gala game along with a number of Moroccan and international football stars, such as the Argentine legend Diego Maradona and the recently retired Brazilian star Ronaldinho.

The Green March anniversary football match serves as a celebration of the momentous protest against Spanish imperialism while promoting Morocco as a football destination. 

This story has been updated. Please click here for more. 

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Rabat – The Moroccan national Judo team won the men’s competition of the 19th Arab Judo Championships. The event took place in Amman, Jordan, from November 1 to November 5.

The Moroccan squad won three gold medals, one silver, and one bronze to finish first on the medal board. Egypt finished in second place with two gold medals and two bronze ones. Syria finished in third with one gold medal, three silver, and two bronze.

Moroccan judokas Faouzi Abdelrahman (-66kg division), Hatim Doukali (-81kg), and Mustapha Al Abdelaoui (+100kg) won gold medals. Zakaria Al Zaouia (-73kg) earned a silver medal and Hamza Al Abdelaoui (-90kg) won bronze.

In the women’s category, the Syrian squad finished first with two gold medals, followed by the Qatari team with one gold medal.

Fourteen Arab countries participated in the competition, including Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Moroccan martial artists have dominated recent competitions, both on the regional and the global level.

In October 2019, Morocco won the Arab Muay Thai Championships in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

In the same month, the Moroccan Karate team finished third in the Junior World Karate Championships in Santiago, Chile, with 10 medals.

On November 3, Morocco’s Achraf Mahboubi won a bronze medal at the World Taekwondo Grand Slam Championships in Wuxi, China.

On the same day, Morocco finished third at the International Taekwondo Open Tournament in Nablus, Palestine.

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Rabat – Ahead of the CAN 2021 qualifiers against Mauritania and Burundi on November 15 and 19, respectively, head coach of Morocco’s Atlas Lions Vahid Halilhodzic has made public his 24-name list for the two games.

The two upcoming matches mark the start of the serious, consequence-bearing stuff for Halilhodzic, with the Bosnian coach having been appointed to lead the Atlas Lions in their struggle to emerge from the painful memories of a disastrous outing at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Halilhodzic, who is searching for a working formula to honor the terms of his contract with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), made notable changes to the pool of players he called upon for the underwhelming friendlies in the past weeks.

The implication of the changes being that, after the languid outings in the friendly games, the Atlas Lions and their Bosnian head coach are still not settled on the flow and rhythm Moroccan fans are expecting from a team visibly battling to definitely leave behind the fresh wounds of CAN 2019, as well as the continued legacy of consistently, sometimes  inexplicably, punching below their weight when taking part in major tournaments.

Shalke 04’s attacking midfielder Amin Harit, and Abderrazak Hamdallah, the top scorer of the Saudi league, are two notable absentees from the list of players for the November 15 and 19 games.

Meanwhile, Olympiakos’ Youssefl El-Arabi, who has not been active for the Atlas Lions in a very long time but whose recent performances in the Greek league and the European Champions League have made headlines in Moroccan media, is back with the Moroccan Lions.

Halilhodzic understandably expects El-Arabi to avail his experience and currently impressive shape to mend the Moroccan Lions’ lack of inspiration in front of goal.

But whether the Olympiakos striker can replicate his sensational club form to remedy Morocco’s notable goal scoring issue remains to be seen. In any case, the continued absence of Hamdalah and the added value of El-Arabi are set to be some of the main talking points as the Moroccan team prepares for the next challenges.

Here is the full list of Halildhodzic’s 24 Atlas Lions:

Goalkeepers:

Mounir El Kajoui (Malaga, Spain); Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, on loan from Girona, Spain); Anas Zniti (Raja of Casablanca, Morocco).

Defenders: 

Yunis Abdelhamid (Stade de Reims, France); Romain Saïss (Wolverhampton, England); Badr Benoun (Raja of Casablanca, Morocco); Zouhair Feddal (Betis Sevilla, Spain); Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund, Germany); Noussair Mazraoui (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherland); Hamza Mendyl (Dijon, France); Nabil Dirar (Fenerbahçe, Turkey).

Midfielders:

Selim Amallah (Standard de Liege, Belgium); Sofyan Amrabat (Hellas Verona, Italy); Fayçal Fajr (Getafe, Spain); Adel Taarabt (Benfica Lisbonne, Portugal); Yahia Jabrane (Wydad of Casablanca); Omar El Kaddouri (PAOK, Greece).

Forwards:

Rachid Alioui (Angers, France); Nordin Amrabat (Al-Nasr, Saudi Arabia); Youssef En-Nesyri (Leganes, Spain); Oussama Idrissi (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands);  Hakim Ziyech (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Sofiane Boufal (Southampton, England), Youssef El Arabi (Olympiakos, Greece).

The post Morocco’s Atlas Lions Coach Unveils List Ahead of CAN 2021 Qualifiers appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – Abderrazak Hamdallah, the prolific Moroccan striker playing for Saudi football club Al Nasr, is in legal trouble with Saudi authorities. Following an altercation with the chief of the security staff at King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has banned the Moroccan from leaving the Gulf country.

According to Saudi sources, Hamdallah “verbally attacked” the security officer, leading the officer to file a complaint against the Moroccan player.

The incident took place around 3 a.m. on Thursday, according to reports.

Hamdallah reportedly lashed out at the security officer, described as “a woman who holds the rank of sergeant.” Hamdallah was protesting against the use of full body scanning on his pregnant wife. The Moroccan player is said to have claimed that the “automatic inspection” was detrimental to the health of his wife and unborn child, a local newspaper reported.

The Saudi security officer said in “her statements that the Moroccan player used offensive words, exceeded respect, and tried to enter the inspection area for women,” according to the same newspaper.

Hamdallah denied the complainant’s version of the events. He, however, maintained his opposition to the use of the body scanning inspection for his pregnant wife.

“After taking statements from both parties,” the Saudi newspaper detailed, the public inspector determined that the Moroccan may have crossed boundaries in his clash with the employee.

Meanwhile, there are reports that the Moroccan player’s Saudi club has been in touch with the airport employee in an attempt to persuade her to drop the case.

The news comes as Morocco’s Atlas Lions prepare for a series of CAN 2021 qualifier games. Hamdallah, who has not been on good terms with Morocco’s footballing authorities, is notably absent from the list of players who have been called to represent the Moroccan squad.

The player, who was due to join the Atlas Lions for this year’s CAN, walked out from the squad at the last minute. While early reports said he left because of a last-minute injury, the player would later fume at internal divisions in the Moroccan squad, describing what he saw as a toxic environment for players with no established friendships in the group.

The post Saudi Bars Moroccan Footballer Hamdallah From Leaving After Clash appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – Morocco has become the first African country to use the video assistant referee (VAR) during a domestic game between Ittihad Athletic Sports of Casablanca (TAS) and El Jadida’s Difaa El Hassani on Saturday, November 9. 

It was on the occasion of the first semi-final of the Throne Cup. And the second semi-final of the same competition, scheduled for today at 4 p.m (Moroccan time) between Hassania Agadir and Maghreb Athletic Tetouan in Marrakech, is also set to feature the video refereeing system.

Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF) announced on November 8 that the he International Football Association Board ( IFAB) had granted its accord for Morocco to use the VAR for the first time in a local game.

Casablanca won yesterday’s first semi final game against El Jadida (1-0), qualifying for the final of Throne Cup.  TAS won the game thanks to a 120th minute penalty decided by the video system.

Read Also: Morocco Hosts Training Session on Video Assistant Referee

The BBC reported that a committee from IFAB visited the Marrakech Stadium to look at the VAR set-up last week.

Morocco  hosted a training session of VAR at the Mohammed VI Conference Palace in Skhirat near Rabat in September.

The post Morocco Becomes 1st African Nation to Use VAR in Local Football Game appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – Amine Harit’s previous performance with the Moroccan national football team has not satisfied Morocco’s head coach Vahid Halilhodzic.

The Bosnian coach has not named Harit on the 24 member squad list for the Mauritania and Burundi games.

The games are part of the 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers. The international football player expressed surprise at not being called up for the games with a small caption on his social media.

Harit commented on his non-selection on Canal Football Club, a sports show aired on Canal+ on Sunday, November 10.

The 22-year old international said he does“not understand” why he was not called for the qualifier games.

Read Also: Vahid Halilhodzic in Search of Working Formula for Morocco’s Atlas Lions

He said that he heard that the decision was due to “disciplinary problems that did not happen.”

Harit recounted that he contacted the Atlas Lions coach to ask for the reason why he was not selected.

“He told me that there were things he did not appreciate from both my club and myself, about the fact that I had some pain and my club asked me to be careful.”

The Moroccan football player added that the Bosnian coach doesn’t “appreciate my performances.”

“I understand, and I accept it.”

Harit said that perhaps he is“not good enough” and added that he must work more to regain his place.

“Of course I want to be in [Morocco’s] selection,” he said.

Lol

— Amine Harit (@Amine_000) 7 novembre 2019

Harit was among key football players in former head coach Herve Renard’s selection. He participated with the Atlas Lions in the 2018 World Cup.

Bundesliga News announced on October 18 that Harit won the Bundesliga September player of the month.

The Bundesliga News added that the international player had an excellent month with his German football club Schalke 04.

The 22-year old player scored four goals and made two assists in Bundesliga matches throughout September.

Harit “saw off competition from Philippe Coutinho, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, Stefan Lainer and Christian Günter,” the Bundesliga report added.

Harit, in an article he wrote earlier this year, expressed his attachment to Morocco.

“Peut-être que je ne suis pas assez bon et qu’il faut que je travaille plus pour gagner ma place dans ce groupe. Mais bien sûr que j’ai envie d’être en sélection !”

Notre invité @Amine_000 Harit revient sur sa non-convocation lors du dernier rassemblement du Maroc pic.twitter.com/AtQcrW7Ejh

— Canal Football Club (@CanalFootClub) 10 novembre 2019

He shared his story with his fans, friends and relatives, and those who didn’t yet know his name.

In  the “Remember the Name” article, Harit said that he loves France for giving him “everything in” in his life. Morocco, however, remains special for him because “Moroccans… are my people too.”

The post Morocco’s Head Coach Not Happy with Amine Harit’s Performance appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – The Moroccan para-athletics squad has won three medals, including one gold, in the first three days of the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships. The competition is ongoing in Dubai, UAE, from November 7 until November 15.

Abdeslam Hili won the gold for Morocco in the 400m T12 event, setting a new world record 47.79 seconds in the final race. Mahdi Afri finished second in the same race, with a new personal record of 47.87 seconds.

Nabil Rahhali Omari also competed in the final race of the event. However, he finished in fourth place only a few milliseconds away from being on the podium.

Ayoub Sadni earned the third medal for Morocco in the 400m T47 event. Sadni finished third, earning a bronze medal.

Other Moroccan athletes who competed in the first three days of the championships all achieved good results. Hind Frioua finished fifth in the club throw F32 event, while Fatima Zahra El Idrissi earned fifth place as well in the 400m T13 event.

Omari, finalist in the 400m T12 event, also participated in the long jump T12 competition, finishing in seventh place.

In the 1500m T13 event, Hicham Hanyn and Youssef Benibrahim finished ninth and tenth in the final race, respectively.

The Moroccan athletes’ results put Morocco in the 16th spot of the medals’ board, out of 119 participating countries. The Moroccan squad has four more days of competition to improve its rank through winning more medals.

On the global rankings, China is first with 23 medals, including nine gold, followed by Brazil (ten medals, six gold) and Ukraine (12 medals, four gold).

The World Para Athletics Championships is a biennial event. More than 1,400 are participating in year’s competitions. This year’s event also serves as a qualifier for the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan.

The post Morocco Wins Three Medals at World Para Athletics Championships appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – Moroccan athlete Chakib Lachgar has won the 55t Annual Behobia San Sebastian race, outperforming the other competitors.

The Moroccan athlete came first with a time of 1h.00, 00, ahead of Iraitz Arrospide who arrived four seconds after the Moroccan.

Spanish media described the win as a “surprise,” given the history of the athlete who immigrated to Spain irregularly  in 2008.

Read Also: Police Arrest 111 Suspects for Alleged Irregular Migration in Oujda

He emigrated to Spain from Ouargui, a Moroccan town nearly 100 kilometers from Marrakech.

The athlete managed to emigrate to Spain underneath a truck.

Diario Vasco quoted Lachgar who narrated his risky adventure.

“I was 18 when I left Morocco. I came under a truck. It was dangerous and difficult to forget.”

Born in 1986, the athlete said he was interested in traveling to Europe from an early age.

He said that  he needed a “lot of money” to ride a patera.

“I ended up in the basement of a truck,” he said. He added that he was planning to emigrate to Germany.

“I haven’t done any sports since I left school,” he added that he realized later that when he ran it made him feel better and began to practice sports regularly. 

The athlete left school at the age of 16 to try to earn money, he travelled to the Sahara and to Tangier in order to earn a living. Before leaving Morocco, he worked selling fruit, in textiles, and selling bread. 

Lack of employment opportunities have led hundreds of young people to take the risky trip to Europe. 

In October, a Moroccan Taekwondo champion, Anouar Boukharsa, decided to cross the Mediterranean to reach Spain without papers. 

The champion documented his trip on a small boat in a short video that went viral.

In the video, Boukharsa throws his medals in the water, saying that they have no value.

In Morocco, when athletes end their professional careers they usually find themselves in a precarious situation, unless they have a second job or made enough savings during their career.

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