In my column last month, I took a peek into the feelings of the average football fan in Nigeria ahead of the commencement of hostilities in the Qatar 2022 World Cup with the glaring absence of the country’s senior men’s national football team, the Super Eagles. I noted that these fans, whose appetites for joy, excitement and exhilaration have been stymied by bad governance, often saw the World Cup as providing an outlet to temporarily suspend sorrows, anguish and “sapa” and celebrate football. It was a thing of sorrow that even this outlet had now become a victim of the mismanagement that has been the country’s bane.
nity and to restructure the country into one that works As I have always pointed out on this page, everything rises or falls with the quality of the leadership. Years of not fielding our first-11 to run the affairs of state, and instead being led by a cast of mediocre imitations, have meant that our country’s starting lineup in the Super Eagles could not deliver the ticket to Qatar. As a direct consequence of this, subdued fans are left with little choice than to make do with supporting other African countries and their favourite club’s football players.
My article came to my mind again when I witnessed the unfiltered elation that Africa’s most successful World Cup nation to date, Morocco, brought to football fans in their country by becoming the first ever African country to reach the semi-final stage of the global football fiesta. As a result of their nigh-impossible victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the quarterfinal, the national airline Royal Air Maroc scheduled 30 additional flights from Casablanca to Qatar on Monday and Tuesday, to carry nearly 9,000 more supporters. Three blocks and into the street were taken up by the line at its central headquarters, which resulted in a klaxon of horns. Although these extra flights were cancelled because of ticketing issues, the overwhelming response from thrilled Moroccans exemplified the type of pleasure Nigerian fans were looking forward to.
Those who have gone to get a first-person feel of the emotions of Moroccans enthralled by the progress of their national team in Qatar have found a people completely overtaken by excitement, joy and love borne out of football fervour. They confess to a changed mood with people exchanging hugs. Actions that would have previously provoked anger are now overlooked without angst. Radio phone-ins programmes that used to be a funnel of people complaining now witness people calling in to celebrate as the entire nation is gliding on a cloud because their performances at the Qatar tournament have become a transformative agent, feeding their country with positive energy patriotic fervour.
Morocco is a country of about 35 million on the north-west of the African coast and it is witnessing its best ever time in sports. Ranked 22nd by FIFA entering the World Cup, they were not expected to go past their group stage as they were drawn against some of the best teams in Europe and North America. As if that was not negative enough, their coach, Walid Regragui, had been given the responsibility of the World Cup campaign barely 81 days before their first match. That match was going to be against Croatia, the defeated finalists from the previous tournament in 2018. They were undeterred and went into the competition high in confidence. It did not look like it when they earned a creditable 0-0 draw against the Croatians, but anyone paying attention could have noticed the strength of their backline and the agility of their very competent goalkeeper.
These two factors became evident as the tournament progressed. Nobody thought their performance was a flash in the pan anymore. They were for real, and soon proved it a stunning 2-0 defeat of European giants Belgium, ranked number two in the current FIFA ratings, second only to Brazil. Canada, who qualified at the top of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) region, were subsequently similarly dispatched 2-1, as the Moroccans conceded the first and only goal that went past Yassine Bounou in the goal of the Atlas Lions. This victory, and other results in Group F meant that Morocco became the first African side to top a World Cup group since 1998, when Nigeria topped their group ahead of Paraguay, Spain and Bulgaria. Morocco got Spain, their European neighbours, and one of the favourites for the tournament, for the round of 16.
While Spain endeavoured to demonstrate a masterclass in ball possession and the intricate ability to string passes across every blade of grass, racking up more than 1,000 passes, Morocco’s defence did not break in the face of the more proficient Luis Enrique’s squad. The gulf in quality between both on paper did not pan out in real life when Achraf Hakimi scored the winning penalty in the shootout with a Panenka to take the Atlas Lions to the quarter-finals where Portugal waited. In one of the highest jumps in World Cup history, striker Youssef En-Nesyri leapt into the air and his first-half header sent Morocco into the semis. So disciplined were they defensively that even the second half introduction of Ronaldo was not enough to get past Bounou. That victory was historic and celebrations swept Morocco, grinding the cities of Marrakech, Casablanca, Fez, Tangier, and Rabat, the capital, to a halt. Not that it was limited to their borders as African and Arab countries both joined in because it was an accomplishment for both as well. Africa had finally contributed a World Cup semi-finalist for the first time.
Although they lost to France in their next match, conceding two goals for the first time in the competition, they had shown their mettle throughout. France did not walk over them and even if a 2-0 loss might sound comprehensive, Morocco — their players, coaches and fans — gave everything. Unfortunately that was the result but the team was hampered by injuries, changes in personnel and formation. They were without captain Romain Saiss from 21 minutes onwards, exposing the defending champions on more than one occasion, particularly when attacking down France’s left. But for the absence of a clinical finisher, it could have been a different story for Morocco. Yet, history had been made. By reaching the semi-finals, Morocco has already far exceeded all expectations, going further than any African team in the history of the tournament. In the past, only Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in the first World Cup in African soil in South Africa 2010, had managed a quarter-finals ticket.
Within and outside the Al Bayt Stadium and in Doha itself, the passion and pride for Africa’s first World Cup semi-finalists at the first Arab World Cup could be heard and felt. The Atlas Lions are the second Muslim-majority nation to reach a semi-final, after Turkey in 2002. As well as being the first African side to reach the same point, they are the first Arab team to make the last four. They have some antecedents in making history and they have a great sense of pride in their accomplishments. Indeed, they consider themselves the first nation from Africa to qualify for the World Cup, playing in Mexico in 1970 (though Egypt qualified through UEFA in 1934). At the 1986 World Cup, they became the first African nation to go beyond the group stages, reaching the second round, where they only lost through a single 88th-minute goal against eventual runners-up West Germany. Unfortunately, Morocco is yet to lift an international trophy in 46 years. They last won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1976 and failed to qualify for the first four World Cup tournaments of the 21st century.
They are however determined to change that and if their progress in Qatar is anything to go by, they’re heading in the right direction. While those denying them kudos for what they have done claim that they have been fortunate or their progress is a fluke, it will be instructive to look at how they have come this far. It did not happen overnight nor by good fortune. It is part of a plan that is yielding results. The Moroccan Football Federation, backed by the government, and in particular King Mohammed VI, has invested heavily since 2014. At the core of this investment is the Mohammed VI Academy in Sale, on the outskirts of Rabat. This Academy has become a seed bed for their Football ambitions. So far, it has produced four players for the World Cup squad, despite its relative infancy. Starting centre-back, Nayef Aguerd, of West Ham United, is one of its proudest exports as is Azzedine Ounahi, and quarter-final hero En-Nesyri himself.
The benefits of the Academy extend to the domestic teams. In 2022 alone, Moroccan sides won both the men’s and women’s CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederations Cup, the continent’s most elite club competitions. It has shown in their female football also. Morocco’s women’s side finished runners-up in AFCON on home soil, second only to rising African women’s football leaders Banyana Banyana of South Africa. As is obvious, the men’s side are the latest part of this success story. Regragui, who led Wydad Casablanca to the Champions League title in May before taking the Morocco job, was the final missing piece. The fact that he is Moroccan — all five African teams had domestic coaches for the first time in World Cup history — is seen as integral. Wydad, knowing the essence of family to Moroccan lifestyle, also ensured that the families of players came to Qatar alongside on the government’s bill, a small fact that has had a major impact on their collective ethos, discipline and performance.
The lessons to learn from all of these are numerous. Nigeria has fallen from the peak of its football glory in the 90s. It goes without saying that there has not been any Nigerian squad that can measure up to the squad assembled for Nigeria’s participation in the 1994 USA World Cup. Made up of Wilfred Agbonavbare, Alloy Agu, Peter Rufai, Augustine Eguavoen, Michael Emenalo, Ben Iroha, Stephen Keshi, Chidi Nwanu, Uche Okafor, Uche Okechukwu, Efan Ekoku, Emeka Ezeugo, Mutiu Adepoju, Jay Jay Okocha, Thompson Oliha, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amunike, Finidi George, Victor Ikpeba, Samson Siasia, Rashidi Yekini with Dutchman Clemens Westerhof as coach, they were one of three African teams, the others being Cameroon and Morocco. Apart from a couple of changes, everyone in that Mundial was part of the Super Eagles victorious 1994 African Nations Cup squad in Tunisia.
Drawn in Group D alongside Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece, the Super Eagles squad in 1994 was a blend of raw talent assembled by the Westerhof-led coaching staff and they shocked the world with an amazing display to move into the next round of the competition where Italy awaited. In that round of 16 fixture, a goal from Emmanuel Amunike, 25 minutes into the game, brought the Eagles just within an inch of moving into the next round. Unfortunately, two minutes before Nigeria could qualify for the quarter-final of the World Cup, Roberto Baggio scored for Italy, taking the game into extra time. Baggio also scored the winner, ending the game 2-1 in favour of the Azzurri of Italy and bringing Nigeria’s World Cup hopes to an untimely end. Yet, it was a period of very high quality football in the country that was recognised by FIFA. Nigeria was ranked 5th in the world in 1994 – the highest ever ranking by any African football team – and the Super Eagles were adjudged the most entertaining team of that World Cup.
Today, we look with nostalgia at those times. But, the experience of Morocco must be instructive. That semi-final place could very much have been Nigeria’s to claim if we had the determination to get it right, the government backing to see to it and the investment, as the Royal Family is doing in Morocco, to bring it to life while eschewing the corrupt practices, favouritism and indiscipline that ended up leaving us out of the pleasure that has been Qatar 2022. We must have the courage to look at the elements of Westerhof’s squad picks and the indigenous qualities of the Moroccan story and blend both to piece together a system that will birth the kind of team that will be reminiscent of that 1994 quality but with the style of 21st century football to bring back those glory years of Nigerian football that will make Nigerians proud again as they did way back in 1994. That is the lesson from Morocco!
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