Inside Manchester United's 'lion' who carries the pride of a nation

Few will have watched the winter World Cup and not collected a soft spot for Morocco.

The North African side were one of the teams of the tournament as they brushed aside European heavyweights Belgium, Spain and Portugal before falling in the last four to France. Roared on by a fanatical support who had made the relatively short journey to Qatar, the team and nation were a collection of colour and capabilities epitomised by Sofyan Amrabat.

The now Manchester United midfielder was one of the stars of the tournament with his tackle on Kylian Mbappe in the semi-final an incredible display of desire and determination and his all-round game spearheading Morocco's sensational run.

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In a country that loves their football he is one of the stars, on the pitch and off it. His transfer this summer to Old Trafford, which dragged on until the closing days of the window, was followed closely by those in his homeland where he is revered for his personality as well as his playing power. Morocco are known as the Atlas Lions and Amrabat is the leader of the pride.

"Off the field he is a kind, respectful person and always ready to help others", Moroccan journalist Izem Anass told the Manchester Evening News. "He is a key player but is not only a player, he is a symbol of strength and pride for the Moroccan people."

Azas followed Morocco throughout the tournament but has known about the qualities of Amrabat for far longer than the past few months and even over words on a screen as we chat about the 27-year-old's qualities, the pride he has in the midfielder comes through.

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