MOROCCO WILL have the backing of an entire continent when they attempt to become Africa’s first World Cup semi-finalists by beating Portugal on Saturday, said coach Walid Regragui.
The North Africans will take on Portugal at Al Thumama Stadium as the first Arab nation to reach the last eight after beating Spain on penalties in the last 16.
A World Cup semi-final against either England or France is up for grabs, alongside a place in the history books.
Cameroon in 1990, Senegal’s 2002 side, and the 2010 Ghana team all fell at the quarter-final stage.
“We have nothing to lose. The challenge is to do as well as we did in the previous games,” Regragui said on the eve of the match against Portugal.
“We want to show that Africa deserves to be here, Morocco deserves to be here.
“We have a whole people behind us, a continent behind us, and the Arab world behind us. That’s a lot of energy behind us. We’re going to try and do everything we can.
“We can do it, we can make history again. It (the support) can push us, help us actually to play with this pressure, not to make any mistakes.”
Morocco have the best defensive record in the tournament, having conceded only one goal in their four matches.
But Regragui warned: “We can’t rest on our laurels. We haven’t got carried away, we’ve just surprised a few people and a few algorithms who expected Belgium or Spain to be in the quarter-finals.”
- Ronaldo factor -
Cristiano Ronaldo was a surprise omission from Portugal’s starting XI for their match against Switzerland in the last 16, with his replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scoring a hat-trick in a 6-1 win.
But Regragui would prefer to see the Portuguese teamsheet without the name of international men’s football’s greatest goalscorer.
“They’re going to be fresh,” he said. “I don’t know if Ronaldo’s going to play, but I hope he doesn’t. I know he’s one of the best players in history so I don’t want him to play.”
Morocco’s success in Qatar has sparked celebrations back home, but also in several European countries where the Moroccan diaspora live.
Fourteen of Regragui’s 26-man squad were born outside the African country.
“People are identifying with us and we’ve managed to unite Moroccans behind this football team,” he said. “I think that’s worth more than anything, it’s worth more than money, it’s worth more than titles.
“We’ve made people happy, we’ve made people proud but that’s not the only reason we’re here — we’re here to win matches and go as far as we can in this tournament.”
Morocco have had a series of injury concerns, with full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui playing despite not being fully fit.
Centre-back Nayef Aguerd hobbled off injured in the Spain match but could be ready to play on Saturday.
“Lots of injuries, people sick. We’ve played lots of games without people 100%,” said Regragui.
“I’m proud for that because nobody has seen Morocco at 100% power. Aguerd is waiting tomorrow to see if he can play or not.”
For the latest news coverage on the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, see here >
That banner was pretty big Patrice.
Evra is and always was a tramp! He is quite happy to throw the racism card out when it suits him as well.
@Let free speech live: What’s that supposed to me, “when it suits him”?
There’s a thing in football called “Kick racism out of Football”, you might have heard of it. Players and supporters alike were encouraged to come forward if they witnessed any, Evra did and gets castigated is some quarters for it. Class act !!
@Adrian Costigan: I like Evra even as a Liverpool fan, a great personality it has to be said, but his behaviour here is not to be condoned. If he was racially abused he should have reported it to officials and not spectacularly attacked the fools as he did. Because of his behaviour he has lost his job at Marseille when it could have been a better situation for everyone.
@Daniel Donovan: Officials have proven time and again they’ll do nothing… Hell if a player walks off because of the abuse he’s the one who gets in trouble. I hope Evra loosened a few of that little gobsh#ies teeth at least…
@Adrian Costigan: Notice how Suarez is never involved in the kick it out campaigns or the CL Say no to Racism one where all the best male and female players in the world are involved. But I suppose they can’t have a racist saying what he want when it suits him .
@Let free speech live: you’re some clown
@Adrian Costigan: Sam Bethal would agree with me, Suarez was also innocent but the fa had it in for him. John Terry got a smaller suspension and he was guilty.
@Daniel Donovan: but he didn’t bite anyone , that’s was all in everybody’s imagination it was just that the FA and the whole world had it in for him
@Hoof Hearted: He did bite other players, more than once, he’s still not a racist Evra is a liar simples.
@Let free speech live: and the lip readers are liars also. Is that you Marcus, PiG etc ..
@Hoof Hearted: Evra played the race card (not for the first time) falsely and the fa decided to make an example of him to cover up the fact the fa are racist. To summarise for you Evra is a liar and Suarez was his victim.
@Let free speech live: “Suarez was his victim”, ha ha ha. Good one to brighten up a dull Monday evening.
Liverpool fan by any chance ?
@Hoof Hearted: Didn’t think there was lip readers involved in the Suarez/Evra one, think you’re mixing up with the terry one.
The Suarez/Evra was basically a your we’d against mine.
Don’t get me wrong Suarez no angel and what he said wasn’t to be nice but I don’t think it was to be racist either.
Still doesn’t make sense that he Suarez/Evra incident resulted in much larger ban for Suarez than John terry when it was clear as day what he said and was far worse
@Adrian Costigan: Liverpool fan of course, what gave it away? Suarez was the victim, punished severely with no solid proof. Terry guilty of racism in a court of law and half the ban of Suarez. The fa are racist and set an example with the immigrant but not with the English captain.
@Let free speech live: yes I’m sure it still hurts you but time you got over it , Suarez was guilty! The FA had a 36 page report on him on the incident. That’s why Liverpool didn’t contest the decision cause they new he was guilty then. So put away your t-shirt now, in the same box as your Liverpool Premier League winners shirt is probably a good place
@Hoof Hearted: Sure Liverpool have never won the Premier league what drugs are you on? Give me some so I can pretend they have like you. I’m over it Suarez gone on to better things and Evra finally showing his true colours.
@Let free speech live: spoken like a true scouser.
@Daniel Donovan: you are not a Liverpool fan
@Let free speech live: he went on to better things !!! So biting two more people was better things. You really are a rose tinted clown Marcus
@Let free speech live: go bite someone
@Marc GIennon: Utd fans are a sensitive bunch, who would of thought?
One way to get a move
Evra is a snivelling squelly little beatch! Went running to the fa like a little coward after suarez. Check out the video of him and his French int. teammates. Calling them n…er this and n…er that. Horrible little tramp, hope they throw the book at him. Real victim indeed
@Rusty Nuts: no surprised your nuts are rusty it much be from all the crying
@Hoof Hearted: *surprise*
@Rusty Nuts: * Not Actually!
The amount of money this man gets at the end of each week is criminal .Getting shouted at and abused is part of the game simple as
@Terry O Shea: being abused is part of it ? having your family or a sick member of your family abused , wishing horrible things on you or a family member is part of the game is it. It doesn’t matter how much a player is paid they are still human beings with emotions and feelings. When you become a famous person or professional sports person you don’t shut down and become a robot
Ridiculous thing to say
@Olllie B: footballer isnt a profession,its the most dishonerable sport on the planet,they take dives,dirty tackles,heckle the reff,dont use video reply,they get paid a fortune but professional there anything but,yobs