At its first World Cup in 20 years, Morocco has a horrible set of results to show for efforts on and off the field.
FIFA’s public condemnation on Thursday of Morocco winger Noureddine Amrabat for questioning the integrity of a US referee added to a sense of national injustice over a tough nine days in Russia.
The first team eliminated from contention often outplayed Portugal and Iran, but has no goals and no points from two 1-0 losses.
Neither will Morocco host the 2026 World Cup. Impressive late lobbying in Moscow last week failed to overcome the US-Canada-Mexico bid that was clearly favored by FIFA leadership.
Morocco was also criticized this week by FIFA for “questionable handling” of a suspected concussion case — again involving Amrabat.
“There is one thing I am sure of is that the whole Moroccan people are very proud of its team,” Morocco coach Herve Renard said on Wednesday after losing to Portugal.
Many of about 25,000 Morocco fans at Luzhniki Stadium, and more back home, vented about what they saw as unfair refereeing decisions.
“We felt like we were playing in Casablanca,” Renard said. “Some people drove all the way to Moscow. This is something you will never be able to take from them.”
The coach’s angry response to one challenge led to a lecture from referee Mark Geiger for demanding video review to award a penalty.
That incident also centered on Amrabat, whose claim in a post-game television interview that he was told that Geiger asked to get Cristiano Ronaldo’s shirt after the game infuriated FIFA.
“FIFA unequivocally condemns the allegations,” it said. “FIFA would like to remind all teams of their duty to respect all principles of fair play.”
Days earlier, FIFA said the “questionable handling” by Morocco staff of Amrabat’s head injury against Iran after taking a crashing face-first fall to the turf.
Medical staff trying to get Amrabat back in the action slapped his cheeks while lifting him to his feet like a groggy boxer.
“FIFA will address this matter with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation,” FIFA said on Thursday about Morocco’s decision to select Amrabat again just five days later.
Defying widespread concerns, Renard described Amrabat as a “warrior,” and the player said he was best placed to judge his fitness.
The federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
Within hours of the 2026 vote defeat, Moroccan King Mohammed VI ordered a renewed campaign to secure the 2030 tournament. There is a speculation of teaming with Spain and Portugal in a three-nation bid that, while making geographical sense, would need FIFA to allow hosting across continents.
After five failed bids since the 1980s, nothing seems to come easy for Morocco in the World Cup.
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph. Tournament organizers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. News outlets including Britain’s the Telegraph earlier reported that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the
PREDICTION: Last week, when Yu’s father made a wrong turn to the former champions’ parking lot, he said that his son could park there after this year With back-to-back birdies on the 18th hole, Kevin Yu fulfilled his driving range-owning dad’s prediction that he would win the Sanderson Farms Championship and become Taiwan’s third golfer to claim a US PGA Tour title. The Taoyuan-born 26-year-old, who represented Taiwan in the Olympic golf at Paris, saw off Californian Beau Hossler in a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday. Having drained a 15-foot putt to claw his way into the playoff, Yu rolled in from five feet on the first extra hole, ensuring he joined Chen Tze-chung (LA Open in 1987) and Pan Cheng-tsung (RBC
LeBron James and eldest son Bronny James claimed a piece of NBA history on Sunday after making their long-awaited first appearance alongside each other for the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo appeared together at the start of the second quarter in the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles. While LeBron James impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on court before sitting out the second half, Bronny found the going harder with zero points in just over 13 minutes on court. The younger James attempted just one
RSS