Morocco's women prove it's not just the men who enjoy World Cup spotlight

It might be a cliche but just competing at this year’s Women’s World Cup was already a victory for Morocco.

Yet to actually win a game … that was something else altogether. That was history.

Following hot on the heels of their male counterparts, who stunned the world by making the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Atlas Lionesses are out to prove that Morocco can be a force in the women’s game as well.

Morocco qualified for this year’s tournament by virtue of reaching the final of last year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), which they also hosted.

In taking their place alongside the elite of the sport in Australia and New Zealand, they earned the distinction of becoming the first nation from the Arab world to qualify for women’s football’s marquee event.

“We are honoured to be the first Arab country to take part in the Women's World Cup," captain Ghizlane Chebbak told reporters before the tournament. "We feel that we have to shoulder a big responsibility to give a good image.”

Their debut against world No 2 Germany was one to forget, however, as they were on the wrong side of a 6-0 scoreline. The result exposed the gap between Europe and the rest of the world that now also increasingly exists in the women’s game, not just the men’s.

But against South Korea on a crisp winter’s day in Adelaide, when Ibtissam Jraidi’s glanced header found the back of the net in just the sixth minute, even more history was made as they registered not only their first goal, but also their first victory.

There were tears of joy on the pitch and in the stands, and no doubt countless more back in Morocco as the realisation of their achievement sunk in.

“As many Moroccans woke up to the news on Sunday, people started to