Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi and teammate Gessime Yassine celebrate a goal against Haiti ahead of defeating Netherlands in the last 32 on Monday.
Morocco's remarkable ascent in world football shows no signs of slowing down. The Atlas Lions are once again carrying Africa's hopes at the FIFA World Cup in North America, demonstrating that their success is built on far more than a memorable run in 2022, even if not everyone has embraced their rise.
The Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach the round of 16 at this tournament after defeating the Netherlands 3-1 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Their progression was nothing short of thrilling. They gave the Dutch as good as they got in the round of 32, showing a relentless desire to fight for possession and immense character throughout the match in Monterrey.
When Cody Gakpo put the Dutch ahead with 18 minutes remaining, it seemed that goal would steal the match for the Europeans, who had otherwise been inferior in possession and dominance. But Morocco hung on.
